The following is a list of the monastic houses in County Durham, England.
| Foundation | Image | Communities & Provenance | Formal Name or Dedication & Alternative Names | References & Location | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barnard Castle Friary (?) | Augustinian Friars (under the Limit of York) founded 1381: licensed by Neville, Archbishop of York, land granted by Thomas Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick; possibly not established, but if so failed before 1387? | 54.5404°N -1.9243°W (possible) | |||
| Baxterwood Priory | Augustinian Canons Regular — possibly from Gisborough, Yorkshire via Haswell founded 1180; transferred from Haswell after 1180 (possibly before Haswell was built); dissolved 1196; lands appropriated by Finchale Priory | Priory Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Baxterwood ____________________ Bactanesford Priory | [1] 54.7763°N -1.6041°W | ||
| Bradbury Cell | Benedictine monks chapel and cell dependent on Nun Monkton, Yorkshire founded 12th century | 54.6552°N -1.521°W | |||
| Clare Abbey, Darlington | Franciscan nuns — from Scorton Hall founded 1857, property granted by Sir Caranby Haggerston; transferred to Herefordshire, amalgamating with the house at Much Birch; Hospitaller Order of Saint John of God | The Abbey Church of Saint Clare, Darlington | [2] | ||
| Durham Cathedral Priory + | secular canons episcopal diocesan cathedral founded 997 (995); extant; founded 995 (997), built by Bishop Aldhun; Benedictine monks founded 1093 (or 1083) by Bishop William of St Carileph, who expelled the seculars; dissolved 1539 | The Abbey Church of Saint Mary and Saint Cuthbert at Durham The Cathedral Church of Christ and Blessed Mary the Virgin, Durham | [3] [4] 54.7733°N -1.576°W | ||
| Durham Greyfriars | Franciscan Friars Minor, Conventual (under the Custody of Newcastle) founded before 1239; dissolved before 1240(?), friars apparently settled at the chapel of St Mary, but on meeting with opposition transferred to Hartlepool | Hartlepool Friary | [5] | ||
| Durham — St Anthony's Priory * | Minoresses founded at the former vicarage of St Nicholas Parish Church; Society of the Sacred Mission; extant | St Antony's Priory, Durham | 54.7783°N -1.572°W | ||
| Ebchester Nunnery | nuns founded before 660 by St Ebba (purportedly daughter of King Ethelfrid); destroyed in raids by the Danes c.875; reference to hermitage or chapel mid-12th century and 1241 (Chapel of St Mary, Yareshale (Yareshaugh)) possibly on site, private chapel of Bishops of Durham before mid-15th century | St Ebbas Nunnery | [6] 54.8897°N -1.8457°W (possible) | ||
| Egglestone Abbey | Premonstratensian Canons — from Easby, Yorkshire daughter house of Easby; founded between c.1190 and c.1195, probably by Ralph Moulton: land granted by Ralph de Moulton, sub-tenant of Ralph de Lenham, who ratified the grant 1198; refounded 1537; dissolved 5 January 1540; granted to Robert Shelley 1548/9; converted into a house 1548, then labourers cottages; (EH) | The Blessed Virgin Mary and St John the Baptist ____________________ Egleston Abbey | 54.5315°N -1.9052°W | ||
| Finchale Priory | Benedictine monks cell dependent on Durham; 1115 (or 1128) by Ranulf, Bishop of Durham who permitted St Godrick to establish his hermitage before 1170; becoming priory dependent on Durham 1196; confirmed to Durham by Hugh Pudsey, Bishop of Durham; dissolved 1538; granted to the Dean and Chapter of Durham 1534/5; (EH) | The Blessed Virgin Mary and St John the Baptist St John the Baptist and St Godric | [7] 54.8181°N -1.5402°W | ||
| Gateshead House | monks founded before 653; apparently abandoned when monks left for Ireland | [8] | |||
| Hartlepool — St Hilda's Monastery | probably monks and nuns founded c.640 by Hieu, an Irishwoman (possibly St Bega) placed in charge by St Aidan destroyed 800? | St Hilda's Monastery | [9] 54.6956°N -1.1807°W | ||
| Hartlepool Greyfriars | Franciscan Friars Minor, Conventual (under the Custody of Newcastle) transferred from Durham, before 1240; dissolved 1538 | 54.6967°N -1.1798°W | |||
| Hartlepool Friary? | Dominican Friars probably copyist's error ref. to Franciscan Friary (see immediately above) | [10] | |||
| Haswell Grange | Benedictine monks endowment — possibly from Gisborough, Yorkshire; transferred to Baxterwood after 1180, probably prior to any buildings being erected; becoming a grange under Finchale | 54.7878°N -1.4555°W | |||
| Jarrow Priory | Historical county location. See entry under | ||||
| Jarrow Friar? | Historical county location. See entry under | ||||
| Neasham Priory | Benedictine nuns founded before 1156 (before 1163) purportedly by Lord Dacres; dissolved 1539–40; granted to James Lawson 1540/1; house named 'Neasham Abbey' built near site 19th century | St Mary ____________________ Nesham Priory; Nesseham Priory | [11] 54.4851°N -1.5036°W | ||
| Norton Monastery? | St Mary's Church incorporates remnants of a church built c.1000 — no reference of pre-Conquest community, but size suggests more than a parochial church; granted to St Cuthbert's, then to Chester-le-Street Cathedral | ||||
| Owton Priory | Gilbertine Canons charter confirming founded 1204 by Alan de Wilton, probably never established (though possibly a grange at Owton Grange nr Brierton) | St Mary ____________________ Oveton in Hartness Priory;Owton in Harness Priory | |||
| Samford Priory? | Benedictine monks probably confused for Stamford Priory, Lincolnshire | ||||
| South Shields Monastery | Saxon monks and nuns founded 648 by St Aidan for St Hilda; Benedictine? nuns refounded? c.686; destroyed ? 865–75 | Wherhale Monastery?; Wyrale Monastery | [13] | ||
| Wearmouth Abbey | Historical county location until Tune and Wear created in 1974. See List of monastic houses in Tyne and Wear | ||||