The following is a list of the monastic houses in Greater London, England.
| width = 15% | Foundation | width = 5% | Image | width = 30% | Communities & Provenance | width = 20% | Formal Name or Dedication & Alternative Names | OnLine References & Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aldgate Priory | Augustinian Canons Regular founded 1107-8 by Queen Maud; conventual church rebuilt 1339 onwards; dilapidated since 1532; dissolved 1534; granted to Sir Thomas Audley, Speaker of the House of Commons 1531/2; largely demolished thereafter | Christchurch, Aldgate | [1] [2] 51.5136°N -0.078°W | |||||
| Aldgate Abbey | Franciscan nuns founded 1293-4 by Edmund, Earl of Lancaster, confirmed by his brother Edward I; dissolved March 1539; | The Abbey Church of the Grace of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Francis, without Aldgate ____________________ The Minories, London; Holy Trinity, Minories | [3] | |||||
| Barking Abbey | Benedictine? nuns and monks — double house founded c.666 by St Erkenwald son of Anna, King of the East Angles; destroyed in raids by the Danes 870; refounded 946-951 Benedictine nuns refounded 965-75 by King Edgar and St Dunstan dissolved 14 November 1539; granted to Edward, Lord Clinton 1551/2 | St Mary St Mary and St Ethelburgha ____________________ Berking Abbey; Bedenham Abbey | [4] [5] 51.5356°N 0.0753°W | |||||
| Bentley Priory | Augustinian Canons Regular founded 1171 by Ranulf de Glanville; dissolved before 1532; house named 'The Priory' possibly built on site: formerly in use as a girls' school, then a hotel; now in ownership of R.A.F. Bentley Priory | The Priory Church of Saint Mary Magdalen, Bentley | [6] [7] 51.62°N -0.3378°W | |||||
| Bermondsey Minster | Saxon monastery founded not earlier than under Pope Constantine I (708-715) nothing further known about its history — possibly destroyed in raids by the Danes 9th century and succeeded by a new minster at Southwark | [9] 51.4941°N -0.0711°W | ||||||
| Bermondsey Abbey | Cluniac monks alien house: dependent on La Charité; priory founded 1082 by Alvin (Aylwin) Child, citizen of London (first monks arrived 1089); became denizen: independent from 1381; raised to abbey status 1399 by order of the Pope; dissolved 1 January 1538; granted to Sir Richard Southwell 1541/2; and demolished soon after | St Saviour | [10] [11] 51.4969°N -0.0796°W | |||||
| Brockley Abbey | Premonstratensian Canons daughter house of Sulby, Northamptonshire; founded before 1182 by Countess Juliana and her seneschal Michael of Thornham; dissolved 1199–1208; transferred to Bayham, (East) Sussex c.1180 | The Abbey Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Brockley | [12] [13] 51.4653°N -0.0299°W | |||||
| Bromley-by-Bow Priory | Benedictine nuns founded before 1122; dissolved 1536 | Bromley Priory; Stratford-at-Bow Priory; Stratford-by-Bow Priory | [14] [15] 51.5283°N -0.0129°W | |||||
| Clerkenwell Priory | Knights Hospitaller founded c.1144 (or c.1100 by Jordan Briset, Baron, and his wife Muriel dissolved 1540; the tower was blown up by Protector Somerset, much of the material used to build Somerset House | St John's Clerkenwell | [17] [18] [19] 51.5225°N -0.1031°W | |||||
| Clerkenwell Priory (Augustinian) | Augustinian Canonesses founded 1100 by Robert, Priest, or c.1144 by Jordan FitzRalph (Briset); also given as Benedictine nuns dissolved c.1539; granted to Walter Hanley and John Williams, Knight 1545/6 | The Priory Church of Saint Mary de Fonte The Priory Church of Saint Mary of the Assumption | [20] [21] 51.5239°N -0.1066°W | |||||
| Ealing Abbey * | Benedictine monks — from Downside, Somerset founded 1897; priory 1916; raised to abbey status 1955; extant | The Abbey Church of Saint Benedict, Ealing | [22] [23] 51.5198°N -0.309°W | |||||
| Eastminster Abbey | Cistercian monks daughter house of Beaulieu, Hampshire; founded 20 March 1350 by Edward III; dissolved 1538; granted to Sir Arthur Darcy 1542/3 | New Abbey; The Abbey of St Mary de Graciis; St Mary Graces Abbey | [24] [25] 51.5093°N -0.0721°W | |||||
| Elsing Spital Priory | secular college (community founded at London within Cripplegate before 1329) transferred here: founded 1329 by William Elsing; nuns conventual hospital founded 1331; chapel for priory and hospital built 1332; Augustinian Canons Regular conventual hospital; founded 1340; granted to John Williams, Master of the King's Jewels 1539/40; destroyed by fire 24 December 1539/40; priory church in parochial use from dissolution; demolished 1923 | Elsing Spittle Priory; Priory and Hospital of St Mary-within-Cripplegate Church of St Alphage, London Wall | [26] [27] [28] 51.5176°N -0.0929°W|- valign=top|Feltham Priory||Anglican Benedictine nuns founded 24 June 1868 by Father Ignatius; transferred to Twickenham|SS Mary and Scholastica ____________________ Feltham Nunnery founded 1376 by Edward III and Sir John Norbury; dissolved; refounded by Queen Mary; dissolved by Elizabeth I| founded 1482: permission granted by the Pope to Edward IV, established 1485; suppressed for rejection of papal authority 1534; Franciscan Friars Minor, Conventual (under the Custody of London) refounded 1534; dissolved 1538; Observant Franciscan Friars refounded 1555; dissolved 1559; demolished; north-west wing of hospital currently stands on site| 51.4832°N -0.0065°W founded before 1127 (before 1150(?)) by Robert fitz Gelran (Fitzmore), canon of St Paul's; benefacted by Richard Belmeis, Bishop of London; also given as Benedictine nuns dissolved c.1539; granted to William Webb 1544/5|The Priory Church of Saint John the Baptist, Holywell ____________________ Holywell Priory; Holywell Nunnery, Shorditch 51.524°N -0.0789°W founded before 1180; transferred to Sisters of St John Priory, Buckland, Somerset c.1180| founded before 1180(?); manor procured by Hospitallers 1237; referred to as a camera 1338 later guest house; leased out 1505; dissolved 1338; lands were leased to the royal courtier Giles Daubeney 1494, who built private house; demolished 1514; 99-year lease obtained from the Hospitallers by Wolsey June 1514; Hampton Court built on site| 51.4035°N -0.3377°W alien house: cell(?) dependent on St-Catherine-du-Mont, Rouen; founded between 1066 and 1087 (during the reign of William the Conqueror); dissolved ?before 1391; granted to Winchester College; granted to Sir William Paget 1547/8| 51.4891°N -0.4813°W alien house: cell dependent on the Hospital of St Nicholas and St Bernard in Montjoux, Savoy; founded 1158/9 by Henry II; dissolved November 1390; granted to New College, Oxford 1391;|Saint Nicholas and Saint Bernard 51.5613°N 0.2258°W founded before 1200; Trinitarians founded after 1224 (possibly 1252); dissolved 1538; granted to William, Lord Windsor; Parish Church of the Holy Trinity built on site 1828|The Holy Trinity ____________________ Hounslow Friary 51.4686°N -0.3638°W founded before/c.1130; Benedictine nuns founded 1139 (during the reign of Henry I) by the Convent of Westminster; possibly Augustinian Canonesses during existence — but began and ended as Benedictine; dissolved 1537 (1536); granted to John, Earl of Warwick 1547/8|Kylburn Nunnery 51.5411°N -0.1989°W founded June 1178 by Richard de Luci, Justiciar of England; dissolved 1525; granted to Cardinal Wolsey's college at Oxford; granted to Sir Ralph Sadler 1536/7|The Abbey Church of Saint Thomas the Martyr, Lesnes ____________________ Westwood Abbey 51.4888°N 0.1289°W alien house: cell dependent on St Peter, Gent; founded 11 September 918: granted by Elstrudis, Countess of Flanders and her sons Arnulf and Adelulf, confirmed by King Edgar August 964; confiscated and destroyed; restored 1044 by Edward the Confessor; dissolved 1414; granted to the Carthusians at Sheen by Henry V 1415| 51.4572°N -0.0151°W founded 1267 by William Arnand, a knight of Henry III; ceased 1317 with the death of the last brother, Hugh of York (appears to be the same establishment as the London Pied Friars and Westminster Pied Friars)| founded 1253 by Humphrey Bohun, Earl of Hereford and Essex; dissolved 1538; granted to John a Losco 1550, who founded preaching house for congregation of Walloon refugees; nave used as church, quire, transepts and tower demolished 1600; church destroyed by fire 1862; rebuilt 1863; bombed in 1940 during World War II; rebuilt 1950-6 as the Dutch Church, Austin Friars| 51.5155°N -0.0857°W Carthusian monks founded 1371; dissolved 1537; granted to Sir Thomas Audley 1544/5; almshouse and Charterhouse School founded by Thomas Sutton on the site 1622; which transferred to Godalming 1872; and that part of the site is now research facilities for the Barts and The London medical school|House of the Salutation of the Mother of God 51.5214°N -0.0997°W founded 1224: hired a house here after living for a number of days with the Dominicans at Holborn upon arriving in London; transferred to Newgate 1225| 51.5158°N -0.0995°W founded before 1269; dissolved 1538| 51.5108°N -0.0783°W founded 1257; transferred to Lothbury (see immediately below) before 1271–2| (community founded at Aldersgate (see immediately above) 1257); transferred here before 1271–1; abandoned 1305; chapel became a chantry| founded before 1224 (probably 1221); transferred to Ludgate (see immediately below) after 1275|Monumenta Conventus Londinensis (community founded at Holborn (see immediately above) before 1224 (probably 1221)) transferred here after 1275; dissolved 12 November 1538; briefly refounded under Queen Mary at Smithfield| 51.5123°N -0.1031°W (community founded at Cornhill 1224); transferred here 1225: John Iwyn, citizen of London, allowed them the use of land and property; school founded church completed 1327; dissolved 12 November 1538; granted to the City of London 1546/7; reused as Christ Hospital| 51.5162°N -0.1°W (community founded at earlier site (see immediately below) 1121); transferred here 1161; dissolved 1308–12; Knights Hospitaller transferred 1324; part leased to lawyers for use as a hostel; dissolved after 1540; leased to the Benches of the Inner and Middle Temple by James I 1609; restorations 19th century; church severely damaged in World War II in 1941; restored 1947–57| [77] [78] [79] [80] 51.5132°N -0.1105°W founded 1121; transferred to new site (see immediately above) 1161|Camden Preceptory 51.5178°N -0.1126°W (appears to be the same as London Areno Friars, and Westminster Pied Friars)| opened 1867, church completed 1882|The Priory of Our Holy Father St Dominic Our Lady of the Rosary and Saint Dominic 51.5507°N -0.1572°W founded before 1216 by William fitz William(s), goldsmith; dissolved 25 November 1538; granted to Sir Richard Cromwell 1541/2; conventual buildings were acquired by the Leathersellers' Company 1543; conventual church now in parochial use as the Parish Church of St Helen, Bishopsgate; church restored 18th, 19th, 20th century; damaged by IRA bomb 10 April 1992; restored 1995–7|St Helen 51.5148°N -0.0818°W house or cell of the Abbot of Garendon; chantry(?), daughter house of Garendon, Leicestershire; founded 1341| conventual hospital or priory founded 1197 by Walter Fitz Ealdred land granted by Walter Brunus, citizen of London, and his wife Roisia; granted to Stephen Vaughan who made his home in the precinct|St Mary the Virgin ____________________ St Mary Spittle, without Bishopsgate; Domus Dei conventual hospital; St Mary of Bethlehem Sisters founded 1247, land granted by Simon Fitz Mary to Godfrey, bishop of Bethlehem to founded a house of canons, brothers and sisters; hospital became attached to the founded before 1329; dissolved; hospital but was moved to Moorfields 1675-6 and then to the South side of the Thames in 1814 (see Bethlem Royal Hospital)|The Bethlehem Hospital; Bedlam 51.5174°N -0.0868°W conventual hospital| briefly founded under Queen Mary| founded 1247 by Sir Richard Grey; church built 1253; rebuilt mid-14th century dissolved 1538; granted to Richard Moresyne and William Butts 1540/1; frater, library and kitchen granted to the King's Armourer; Michael Drayton and Thomas Woodford, nephew of the playwright Thomas Lodge, converted the former refectory for use as The Whitefriars Theatre 1608 (or possibly 1606); theatre closed 1629| 51.5131°N -0.1081°W founded before 1329; became dilapidated; abandoned 1329; transferred to Elsing| founded 1114 (1117) by Gilbert Norman, Sheriff of Surrey; dissolved 1538; Merton Abbey Station built on site 19th century; site now occupied by shopping centre with purpose-built basement from which remains are visible|The Priory Church of Saint Mary, Merton The Priory Church of Saint Mary of Merton ____________________ Merton Abbey St Mary's Priory; St Mary of Merton 51.4143°N -0.1819°W founded apparently c.1176, granted by Beatrice de Bollers, widdow; apparently became a camera by 1338; dissolved 1338; chapel demolished 1960|Harefield Preceptory; Harefield Camera; Moor Hall Camera 51.5892°N -0.4833°W founded 1499 or 1500; dissolved 1534; probably passed to the Austin Friars; probably Augustinian Friars refounded 1534; dissolved 1536?|Richmond Austin Friars (1534-6) Sheen Friary 51.4603°N -0.3079°W alien house: dependent Bec-Hellouin; founded (during the reign of William the Conqueror) land granted by Ernulph de Heding; conventual until after? c.1250; parcel of Ogbourne, Wiltshire 1291; dissolved 1404; granted to Ralph Sadler 1540/1; Manor Farm House built 16th century|Riselipp Priory 51.5788°N -0.4273°W founded 1123, land obtained from Henry I by Roahere, formerly a minstrel at court; became a priory with a separate hospital; dissolved October 1539; granted to Lord Rich 1558/9; now St Bartholomew's Hospital, and priory church in parochial use|The Priory Church of St Bartholomew-the-Great, Smithfield 51.5189°N -0.0997°W founded c.1414 by Henry V; dissolved 1539; granted to Edward, Earl of Hertford 1540/1; restored 26 January 1557 by Queen Mary, under Maurice Chauncy of London (who became prior) dissolved by Elizabeth I|The Priory Church of Jesus of Bethlehem ____________________ Richmond Priory; Shene Priory founded c.1315; dissolved c.1318; community transferred by Edward II to his manor called the 'Palace of Beaufort' at Oxford 1317–8| Augustinian Canons Regular (re)founded 1106; largely destroyed by fire 1212; subsequently rebuilt; dissolved 27 October 1539; granted to Sir Antony Brown 1544/5; episcopal diocesan cathedral founded 1 May 1905: see created for new diocese separated from Rochester; extant|The Priory Church of Saint Mary Overie, Southwark 51.5061°N -0.0897°W founded 25 July 1135; Cistercian monks orders merged 17 September 1147; dissolved 1538|The Abbey Church of Saint Mary, Stratford Langthorne ____________________ West Ham Abbey 51.5333°N 0°W extant| 51.5445°N 0.0038°W founded 1431; dissolved 1539; 18th century house acquired|Charterhouse at Sheen 51.4767°N -0.3125°W alien house: dependent on Bec-Hellouin; manor held by Bec-Hellouin at the Domesday Survey; founded before 1086: granted by Richard de Tonbridge, Lord of Clare; dissolved before 1315(?); parcel of Ogbourne 1315; dissolved by Henry V 1414 and granted to his brother John, Duke of Bedford; on his death 14 September 1436, it passed to Henry VI who granted to John Ardern for ten years; granted to Eton College 1440|Tooting Bec Priory 51.4323°N -0.1457°W founded 1415 by Henry V (who laid the first stone 22 February and signed charter 3 March); transferred to Syon 1431| transferred from Feltham; transferred to West Malling, Kent| possibly on site now occupied by the Parish Church of St Laurence| 51.5558°N 0.2479°W (possible) possibly monastery founded c.616 (probably just a chapel or church) by Sebert on instruction by Bishop Mellitus; some evidence of monastery, possibly secular, founded before 785, destroyed? in raids by the Danes 871-2?, restored Benedictine monks founded c.960 (959) dissolved 16 January 1540; episcopal cathedral 1540–1550; restored 1556; dissolved 1559; collegiate church 1560; now in use as a royal peculiar|The Abbey Church of Saint Peter in Westminster (appears to be the same establishment as the London Areno Friars and London Pied Friars)| extant|Friary and Parish of St Thomas of Canterbury 51.6152°N 0.0246°W See alsoReferences |