Dartford Priory

Dartford Priory was a Dominican Nunnery, located in Dartford, Kent. When Henry VIII suppressed the monasteries, he took Dartford Priory for himself, establishing it as a Royal Palace.^[1] Between 1541–1544 the former ecclesiastical buildings were converted to become a manor house.^[2]^[3]

Dartford Manor Gatehouse, in October 2012

Foundation

Edward III announced the foundation of Dartford Priory in 1346^[4] on his return from the victorious campaign in France against Philip VI of France culminating in the Battle of Crecy. This inauguration of the priory was accompanied by a tournament, a way of celebrating favoured by Edward III. The King previously staged tournaments at Dartford twice before: firstly at the age of seventeen in 1329, after he had assumed the throne but still under the control of his step father Roger Mortimer who assumed the role as his guardian and effectively ruled the Kingdom. Tension rose between Edward III and Mortimer which led to Edward taking Mortimer prisoner and executing him in 1330. Edward organised a series of tournaments in 1331, and Dartford was chosen to host one of these.^[5]

Prioresses and notable nuns

*Dedication of Bridget to the nunnery at Dartford*, painting by James Northcote (1822). National Trust, Petworth House, West Sussex.

The prioresses were as follows (with dates of record)^[6]

Matilda, 1356, 1372
Jane Barwe, c. 1377, 1400
Maud, 1413
Rose, 1421, 1428, 1432
Margaret Beaumont, 1446, 1460, daughter of Henry Beaumont, 5th Baron Beaumont
Alice Branthwait, 1461, 1465, 1467
Joan, daughter of Lord Scrope of Bolton, c. 1470
Beatrice, 1474
Alice Branthwayt, 1475, 1479
Anne Barn, 1481
Alice, 1487, 1488 (fn. 168)
Elizabeth Cressener, 1488 or 1489-1537
Joan Fane, 1537
Elizabeth Cressener, 1557

Other nuns: Sometime between 1489 and 1492, Bridget of York became a nun under the care of Elizabeth Cressener.

Dissolution

Dartford Priory played a significant role in the dissolution of the monasteries.^[how?]^{[citation needed]}

References

^ Thurley, Simon. "Dartford | Royal Palaces | An Encyclopedia of British Royal Palaces and Royal Builders". Royal Palaces. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
^ "The Manor Gatehouse". A Kentish Ceremony. Kent County Council. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
^ Howard Colvin, The History of the King's Works, 4:2 (London: HMSO, 1982), pp. 68–74.
^ Ormrod, W. M. (1989). "The Personal Religion of Edward III". Speculum. 64 (4): 849–877. doi:10.2307/2852870. ISSN 0038-7134. JSTOR 2852870. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
^ Turner, James (31 May 2023). "Did Jousting Give King Edward III Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE)?". Medievalists.net. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
^ "Friaries: The Dominican nuns of Dartford | British History Online". www.british-history.ac.uk. Retrieved 2 March 2021.

[RP_Dartford_Priory-1] Thurley, Simon. "Dartford | Royal Palaces | An Encyclopedia of British Royal Palaces and Royal Builders". Royal Palaces. Retrieved 30 October 2023.

[KCC_Manor_Gatehouse-2] "The Manor Gatehouse". A Kentish Ceremony. Kent County Council. Retrieved 30 October 2023.

[3] Howard Colvin, The History of the King's Works, 4:2 (London: HMSO, 1982), pp. 68–74.

[Omrod_1989-4] Ormrod, W. M. (1989). "The Personal Religion of Edward III". Speculum. 64 (4): 849–877. doi:10.2307/2852870. ISSN 0038-7134. JSTOR 2852870. Retrieved 31 October 2023.

[Turner_Jousting_and_Ed_III-5] Turner, James (31 May 2023). "Did Jousting Give King Edward III Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE)?". Medievalists.net. Retrieved 1 November 2023.

[brithist-6] "Friaries: The Dominican nuns of Dartford | British History Online". www.british-history.ac.uk. Retrieved 2 March 2021.

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