an account of the priory of st. martin

8/6/2019 An Account of the Priory of St. Martin

1/42


2/42


3/42


4/42

i


5/42


6/42


7/42


8/42

* .1:- ^irClj

ill 4:|lii^^ ^II i ^' ^^SJ^ft^^t^ 1,;!^

/I^ 14


9/42

AN ACCOUNT0? THE

PRIOEY OF S. MARTIN,DOVERBY

J. TAVENOR PERRY, M.R.I.A.Avthor of the "ntualratimt of the Ucdixcai Antiquitia of Dm-ltam,"


10/42


11/42

The following account forms the substance of a paperread on the occasion of the opening of the Refectoryto the Priory of S. Martin, Dover, after its restorationfor the use of the Dover College Company. Thehistory of the building can only be gathered fi'omcounty chronicles, or the publications of archaeologicalsocieties, not easily accessiljJc to general readers ; thispamphlet is intended to give in a more convenientform the information which would otherwise have tobe painfully gleaned from old and cumbersome volumes.It is also hoped that it may call some attention to abuUding, which, fr-om its position, and the neglect towhich it has so long been subjected, is too little known.Any profit which may arise fr'om the sale will bedevoted to further works of restoration, more par-ticulary to the new refectory door.

Clielsea, 1871.

StacKAnnex5)^

2008162


12/42

PLATES.

General View of the Gateway, as proposedto be restored ..... Frontispiece,

Interior of the Eefectory as restored . . Title.

The door to be inserted in the south -wallof the Eefectory adjoiaing the Lavatory . Page 1 8.

Plan of remains of the Priory . . . 24.(In this plan the pai-ts now standing are tinted, the other jiortions have

heen recently destroyed, and are restored partly from Dr. Plumtree'splan of the ehuruh, and partly from the Ordnance Survey and othersources.)


13/42

PRIORY OF S. MARTIN, DOVER.

Among the many remains of mediaeval art left to usin this country there are few so interesting as thoseof the Priory of SS. Maiy and Martin at Dover.AVhetlier for its history, or for its artistic value as the\\Teck of a once magnificent pile of buildings, it iswell worthy of careful study. The history of its foun-dation carries us back to the time when the Eomanhad scarcely quitted our shores, and its architectiu:e isan example of that brilliant period of art when almostall our principal buildings were founded or reconstructedby the Norman conquerors.

Early after the conversion of the Saxons we finda college for secular canons was established at Dover,and, if tradition be correct, this was only the re\dvalof a still earlier foundation.^ Its history, and the

' Tlie church in the Castleis said to have been raised bytlie British King Lucius, andre-built by Eadbald, the sonand successor of S. Ethelbert.Eadbald founded here a college

of secular canons, but at theend of the seventh century, tlieywere removed to the new prioryof tS. !Martin-le-Grand by King\Vihtred.


14/42

6 PEIORY OF S. MARTIN, DOVER.

liistory of the church with which it was connected,have been well told by Canon Puckle in his valuablework on the Chui'ch in the Castle/ a work whichis doubtless well known to all interested in the anti-cpities of Dover. The canons of this first founda-tion appear, however, to have been early dispossessedof their house ; and they found a new home in thePriory of S. Martin-le-Grand in the valley below.There, boasting of royal privileges and perhaps ill-advisedly presuming on tlipm, we find them whenour history of this Piiory comn;ences.^

The great Norman Conquest was not merely a changeof dynasty but a complete subjugation of the people ;and the English monks in the quiet of their cloistersfelt, as well as their countrymen, the hard hand of thevictor. Throughout the length and breadth of theland the intrusion of Norman priors and abbots intothe religious houses soon followed the conquest, andthe discontent and murmuring of the brothers oftenproduced violent tumults and changes. Everj'w^herewe find the secular priests superseded by monks ofthe newer orders ; while in places like Durham, the

^ " The Church and Fortress castle. They were to ho suhjectof Dover Castle," by the Eev. to no prelate or ordinary. JMussJohn Puckle, !M.A. was not to be begun in any

church in the town until the^ The special privileges with bell of S. Martin-le-Grand gave

winch they Avere endowed are notice that it had commencedgiven by Hasted as follows : there. The church was to "beThey were to have tlje same esteemed as the King's chapel,fraucliises and privileges as they and to be subject only to hishad hitherto enjoyed in the jurisdiction.


15/42

PRIORY OF S. MARTIN, DOVER. 7

fame of whose Saxon saiut, Cutlibert, was too greatand wide-spread to be ignored, it was a Norman bishopand his aUeu followers who raised the glorious pilewhich still frowns above the Wear, to the memoryof the sainted compatriot of those whom he had justruthlessly thrust out at their own convent doors.Some such change took place atDover : and, although

we may know nothing of the incidents connected withit, the ruins of S. Martin-le-Grand and these buildingstestify that it was at once violent and complete. Thejealousy existing between the secular priests and theso-called religious orders was very strong at theperiod when this Priory was commenced and affectedto a considerable extent its early history. WilliamCorljoil, Archlnshop of Canterbury, at whose instiga-tion, or under whose direction, these changes weremade at Dover, was himself an Austin Canon. Hehad been for some time before his appointment Priorof the House of S. Osyth, and had been put into hishigh position as a man holding a middle place l^etweenthe two great parties which at that time disturbed theEnglish Church. For some years he had been clerkto the celebrated Flambard, bishop of Durham,* and

* Ealpli Flamliard, or Passe- of men in evil ; lie robbed everyflabcre, was the son of a village oliurch under his charge, andpriest of Bayeux, and his mother reduced rich and poor to suchwas reputed to be a witch. He indigence that they preferredwas Dean of Christ Churcl), death to life under him. InHampshire, and afterwanls the 1095 the kingdom was entrustedBishop of Durham. Waleott to him, while he held sixteensays, " He was the most subtle churches, cathedrals and abbeys,


16/42

b PRIORY OF S. MARTIN, DOVER, _^it would be interesting to know how far he possessedin common with his master, the taste and love forarchitectural magnificence. At Christchurch l\vynham,at Durham, and throughout his diocese, Flambardhad commenced and carried out works, large and im-portant even for that time of building activity ; andone who was so closely associated with him as hischaplain, must have been more or less influencedby the works he saw around him. Accordingly, atCanterbury, at Merton,* and here at Dover, Ave findthe Archbishop displaying that love for bricks andmortar which he might well have acquired undersuch a master.

Instead of attempting any enlargement of the oldhouse, by means of the funds the suppression placed athis disposal and of a gi-ant made by the king, he com-menced an entirely new house upon a difl'ereut site. Theground he selected for his work was at that time outsidethe town walls and was, no douljt, unencumbered withwithout bishop or abbot, which " The found.itinns of thehe reduced to the depths of Austin Canon Priory of JMertunpoverty." He was a great were said to have been hiid inarchitect, and built, besides the 1092 (.Stone), but a conventnaves of Cliristchurch, T^vyn- of wood was erected in 1115ham, and Durham ; Norhani (Lysons), and tlie first prior andCastle.MottesfordPnory, Lincoln, canons took possession in 1117,and Kepyer Hospital, Durham. (Tanner). The convent was firstIn association with such a man, built of stone in 1130, and theCorboil, if not rendered more new convent entered by thesuitable for his high office of canons in 11 30, so that thearchbishop, no doubt aciiuired works here were in progress atsome knowledge of architectural the same time as at Dover,art.


17/42

PEIORY OP S. MARTIK, DOVER. )

Other l.uUdiugs. Being himself an Austin Canon, heprepared his ne^v house for members of his order,passing over the BenecUctines of Christ Church Canter-bury, in a manner that provoked theii- jealousy to sucha degree as to cause him much trouble afterwards.

The Austin Canons were an order of regular clergyholding a middle position between the newer orders ofmonks'' brought over to a great extent after theconquest, and the older orders of secular canons.They were in fact a community of parish priestsliving under rule. Such an order would be of mostvalurin a town at that time increasing in importance,and with but few churches for the use of the people.They required ample accommodation in their churchesfor congregations and cared less about the extentand gorgeousness of thek choral arrangements. Inthe architectural character they gave to thcii- build-ino-s they were more modest than the Benedictmesand other enclosed orders of monks ; they cared Uttleabout towers as a decoration to theii- churches, andpreferred square east ends to the more rich and variedapsidal terminations then so fashionable. It will beinteresting in going over the plan of this Priory tosee how far it accorded with theh- rules; and althoughit afterwards became a Benedictine house, I think weshall find, from a careful examination, that the Prioryof S. Martin was in fact a house built according tothe rules of the Austin Canons.

Ai-chbishop Corboil obtained permission for the sup-


18/42

10 PRIORY OF S. MARTIN, DOVER.

pression of the old house in 1130. The king had beenpresent at Canterbuiyatthe dedication of the Cathedral,"which had been conducted with great magnificence inthe presence of the King of Scotland and all theBishops of England. Corboil also received a grant ofstone fi-om a quany near Caensaid still to be knownas the quany of S. Martinand arrangements weremade so that the work was actually commenced in thefollowing year. The work seems to have been hurriedon considerably, and a large portion was completedin the course of the following three years, when someof the Canons for whom it was preparing were sent totake possession. These canons were from the Abl)eyof Merton in Surrey, a house with which the Arcli-l)ishop had been connected and in Avhich he evi-dently took some interest. This introduction was,however, violently opposed by the monks of Christ-church, who claimed to have received from the kingthe gi-ant of the new Prior)-, and who naturally pre-ferred that it should be inhaljited by those of theirown order. To support their claim, they prepared tosend one of their number to Eome, and, what wasperhaps more to the purpose, they at once intro-duced some of their monks to turn out the intruders,and hold the house for their convent xuitil the matterin dispute was settled. By the death of the Arch-

This was the dedication wards destroyed by tlie greatof the church built by Lani'ranc, fire,and enlarged by Anselm, after-


19/42


20/42

12 PRIORY OF S. MARTIX, DOVER.

while tliese serious disagreements were proceeding ; butthe new Ai'chbishop soon interested himself in thecompletion of the buildings, and it would appear thatin the first year or two of his rale they were nearlyfinished.The Priory, as left by Theobald, was not much altered

at any subsequent period, and the principal portionsremaining at the Eeformation, with a few exceptions,were of his times. About a hundred years after thefoundation, considerable works were in progressa bake-house and brew-house being particularly men-tioned. Although we find no reference to them,no doubt al)out this date the Gateway and Barnwere built. In 1295 veiy much damage was doneto the buildings by the French forces at that timelaying siege to the Castle, and traces of their mischiefare evident both in the refectory and the gate.It is somewhat doubtful if the cloister court hadits usiial arcade surroundincr it from the first, as theremains which have been discovered rather indicatethat it was built about the same time as the gatewayand the bake-house. In 1484, however, the will ofa Robert Lucas was proved, by which thirteen andfour pence was left for the making of the new cloister.It is scarcely probable, however, that this cloisterwas ever built, as no fragments of work so late indate have been found in the ruins.When, before the suppression, the convent was in-

spected by the King's Visitors it seems to have been in


21/42

PRIORY OF S. MARTIX, DOVER. 13a decapng condition. Bad management or diminishedrevenues had brought the house to the verge of bank-ruptcy : and we see good cause for the grief of thehonest inhabitants of Dover, to which the commis-sioners referred in their report, in the inventory ofgoods, which at that time were " impledged"* to otherinhabitants, to whom the Prior had had recourse.' Thehouse was voluntarily surrendered by the Prior andbrethren on the 16th November, 1535, and the build-ings and revenues granted to the See of Canterbur}^The stalls in the Church were given to S. Marj^'s, butthe altars were not finally removed until 1549.' Thematerials of the church were then given to the towmof Dover for the repairs of the town walls and gates,and so, piece by piece, one of the finest monasticchurches ih this countiy has been utterly swept away.

These are all the historical facts I can give you inreference to the Prioiy, but we may yet find several

' Certeii pnrcelh- plate to cer- (


22/42


matters to interest us by turning to the buildingsthemselves.

The most important part, the centre round whichall the monastic buildings grouped themselves, hasalmost entirely disappeared. The great Priory Churchof S. Martin, must have been comparable, both inimportance and extent, to many of the cathedralsnow standing." Thanks to the careful attentionsof Dr. Plumtree, at a period peculiarly fovourable toobservation, we have a tolerably complete plan of thechurch in its original state. Its square east end, andthe absence of all preparation for western towers,point to the progress it had made l^efore the Bene-dictine influence was felt; while the proportions of thenave and the means of access provided on the townside shew the arrangements which were made for largecongregations.''' Portions of the north and west wallsof the nave may still be seen in situ, thanks to the

" Tlio dimensions of this " It will be seen by referencechurch, as ascertained from an to the plan at the end, that theseinspection of the foundations, separate entrances are sliown iuare, total length abmit 300 ft., the south and west sides of thebreadth across transepts 1 GO ft. church, the sides most accessibleThe centre aisle of the nave was to the town, while the side nextabout 35 ft. wide, and the side the cloisters only shows a singleaisles 18 ft. The size of the entrance. How far this is coi-crossing was about 30 ft., and rect we cannot now judge, butseems to have been prej)ared for at the time Mr. Plumtree pre-a tower. The transepts, wliich pared his plan he was doubtlesshad no aisles but apsidal chapels well able to avoid any mist;ikoin the east side, were the same on these points,width as the centre aisle of thenave.


23/42

PRIORY OF S. MARTIN, DOVER. 15care of Mr. Cliignell, in whose hands the rains havebeen for two years. '^

It is somewhat curious tliat the fate which overtookthe Priory Church of S. Martin, Dover, has its parallelin that which has overtaken that of S. Martin at Tours.'*There, one of the main streets of the town runs downthe centre aisle of the choir and nave, while a crossstreet occupies the position of the transepts. Andhere at Dover, the houses of Saxon Street look outinto what was once the choir, while Effingham Streetexactly takes the place of the transepts, the chapter-house and the dormitory."

The chapter-house adjoined the north transept north" While the buildings were

in Mr. Chignell's possession healso did a great deal of work tothe refectory and gateway, witha view of maintaining ratherthan restoring the old work, andwe have to thank him, to a con-siilerable extent, for their presentcomparatively perfect state.

" " Notice siir le Tombeaude Saint Martin," Tours, 18G1.Tliis great church was almostentirely destroyed at the begin-ning of this century, but activemeasures were being taken beforethe last war for a restoration ofat least the choir." The following is an inven-

tory of the plate in the churchat the Eeforination :Plate and Jewels in ilia CLueyre .imd Vedi/ere:

First, j. crossc of sylver with

the crucifix, Marye and John,of sylver and parcell gilte. Item,ij. chalics with the patents ofsylver and gylte. Item, j. chalicewith one paten of sylver parceUgylte. Item, j. senser of sylverparcell gylte. Item, j. paxe ofsylver and gylte.with the crucifixMarye and John parceU gylte.Item, j. shippe of sylver parcellgylte. Item, j. small spone be-longing to the same sliippe ofsylver. Item, j. crewytts ofsylver parcell gylte. Item, j.olde relique partly covered withsylver plate and tlie residewwith cooper and gylte. Item,j. pyx of cooper and gylte withcerten reliques therein conteyned.Itm, j. litle dubell crosse ofwood j)latedwith sylver. Item,j. bassiin of lattyn, gylted. Item,j. payre of orgaynes.


24/42


ward without the usual slype or small apartmentintervening. Its plan and proportions were nearly-identical with those of Durham, but its size was con-siderably less.'" The dormitory, which was about150 feet long, continued the line of buildings as faras Effingham House, passing by the end of theEefectoiy.''The buildins; on the north side of the cloisters formed

the Eefectory of the Priory, and it is the most importantof the remains. It measures about 100 feet in lengthliy 27 feet m "width, and its height to the starting ofthe roof is aliout 30 feet. The windows are piercedthrough a simple continuous arcade, which runs allround the inside of the building. It will be noticedthat the cajtitals and abaci of the north and southsides differ from those at the end, and do not properlyaccord with the style of the work. These capitalswere evidently mserted after the French attack, when

'" The Chapter-house at Dur- Winchester, Gloucester, S.ham, tlie work of Galfrid Paifus, Albans, Durham, Finchale, &c.was about 80 ft. long, ending It formed a passage between thewith an apse as here. It was cloisters and the cemetery orvaulted with a bareel vault and .space at theback of the dormitorysemi-dome over the apse. Not and chapter-house,being convenient for moderncapitular meetings, it was pulled '' Tlie Dortor here at Doverdown at the beginning of this appears to have been a lowcentury to make way for a building of one storey, as themodern parlour. gable of the refectory was pro-

It was usual in Benedictine vided with windows at the endhouses to have a small passage, adjoining it, whit'h must havecalled the slype, between the looked over its roofs.transept to the church, as at


25/42


the Refectory must have been seriously damagedby fire. The windows on the south side have theirsills at a higher level than those on the noi-th, anarrangement necessitated by the height of the cloisterspassing along below.The roof with which it was covered previous to the

restoration was almost entirely of modern construction,and quite out of keeping with the style of the buildingitself. It was besides in a very unsafe state, and theopportunity was taken to replace it with a roof morein accordance with the character of the Norman work.

For two hundred years at least this Refectory wasused as a barn, and was ruthlessly knocked about tosuit the unworthy purpose to which it was devotedbut fortunately one of the most interesting features uithe place has nevertheless been preserved. The largedrawing of the Last Supper at the east end is, I believe,unique in England, and though it is so much damagedthat it has ceased to be in any way ornamental, itbears most valuable traces of what was once a greatwork of art, and should be carefully and religiouslypreserved untouched by any attempt at restoration.^*

The doorway at the west end occupies the same" The general arrangement at a later date, and the position

of this work would almost sug- of S. John's head altered. Por-gest that it had heen painted tions of the second work fallingafter some account of the cele- away, liave disclosed tlie otherbrated " Last Supper,'' which head, giving to S. John a some-Leonardo da Vinci painted for what ludicrous effect. The nimbithe refectory of S. Dominic, of are in all cases stamped into theWilan. The figures are life-size, plaster with sunk rays.The painting has been retouched


26/42


27/42

iJpS^sS

VPLAN-

'1^5i:r


28/42


29/42


"In the Va-ft'te where the Moncks do dyne,j. olde table, j. fourme, j. cusshon of verder,j. booke of the Bybyll \vr)i;ten.

" 111 the Buttiye next to the same vawte where themoncks do use to dine,

j. salte of sylver parcel! gylte with a coverto the same, vj. silver sponnes with wreethedknoppes gylted, ij. old plapie table clothes,ij. old playne towells, iij. napkyns playne,j. bason and j. ewar of pewtar, iij. bellcandillsticks, j. smalle lampe, v. chaffjTXdyshes of latten."

After theii- dinner the monks washed their hands atthe lavatory by the refectory door in the cloisters.This lavatory consisted of an arcade of three archesover the washing place, and appears to belong to thesecond period of building operations at the Prioiy, towhich we have already referred.At the west end of the refectory stood the kitchen,

and the remaining side of the cloister was occupiedby the cellarage.

In the houses of the Austin Canons, the Prior's lodgewas almost invariably attached to the south-west angleof the nave of the church. Here, however, the positionof the church in reference to the town prevented suchan arrangement, and the lodge would seem to have stoodbetween the gateway and the cellarage ; or, possibly, ifbuUt by the Benedictines, on the other side of thegreat court by the Guesten Hall.


30/42

20 PRIOEY OF S. MARTIN, DOVER.

The gateway appears to have suffered more from theFrench devastations than any other part of the convent.At the time of their attack it must have been barelyfinished, but it would seem nevertheless that a con-siderable portion was thro\vn down. Eeconstiiictedat a later date of fragments saved from the ruins, itpresents some strange anomalies. The gateway wasoriginally groined and prepared for one or two port-cullises ; but, in the rebuilding, these and the groiningwei'e omitted. In the upper chambers are some fire-places with wooden lintels, which evidently from theircharacter could only have been inserted shortly anteriorto the dissolution. A small chamber, reached by anexternal staircase, and with a window opening intothe gateway, seems to have formed a chapel, and at theentrance to it is a niche for the holy water stoop, anda recess for the altar and a piscina are in the east wall.The upper chamber of the gateway appears only tohave been reached from the buildings on the east side,adjoining which is a small turret staircase leading totlie roof. The gateway, mifortunately now in a veiyruinous condition, urgently demands careful repairs.It is to be hoped that if some other means be notforthcoming, the success of the College will justify thecouncil in restoring and devoting it to some appro-priate use.*"

-" Tho frontispiece shows a be.yon(I raising the walls to theirview of this gateway as proposed original level and re-ruoliuy theto be restored. No alteration whole,would be made iu the structure


31/42

PRIORY OF S. MARTIX, DOVER. 21

The great Priory barn, which some living doubtlessvery well recollect, stood at the south-west corner ofthe great court, and seems, from the views of it remain-ing, to have been a fine example of 13th century work/'

Another building, which I have only mentionedincidentally, is the Guesten Hall. It is quite possiblethat the erection of a building of this size was not atfirst contemplated by the founders of the Priory, andthat it was part of the scheme the completing the workand fittino; it as far as could be for its Benedictineowners. The Guest house, however, was frequentlyplaced at some distance from the cloister, and in atown such as Dover, where the succession of travellersmust have been nearly continuous, it was perhapsthought necessary not to allow of too close an inter-course between the monks and their guests. Thecharacter of the work is distinctly later than thatof the church and refectory. The building consists ofone broad aisle, opening into a narrower one throughpointed arches carried on bold cylindrical piers, withan elegant variety of the usual Norman scollopedcapital. These capitals are similar to some at S. Mar-garets at Clifi"e, but are nevertheless of an exceedinglyrare form. At the west end of the centre aisle was alarge fire-place, the chimney of which remains. TheAvindows into the hall are all lancet shape, and morethan any other feature shew the advance of style.

' There is a view of this of the Priory, about a hundredbarn in the foreground of a years since, in "Grose's Anti-plate representing the remains quities of England."


32/42

22 PEIORY OF S. MARTIN, DOVER.The mventoiy already quoted gives the following

list of the various chambers, buildings, &c., throughoutthe Priory, which contained any furniture :Choir andvestiy, Prior's o\\ai chamber. Chapel next the Prior'schamber, the Great chaml^er, the White chamber, thePrior's inner parlour. Outer parlour, the Vawt (refec-tory), the Buttery, the Kitchen, the Schoolmaster'schamber, and Eichard Elam chamber.A plan is given at the end, from which the generaldisposition of the monastic buildings will be seen, andit may be possil^le with its assistance to trace some ofthe apartments mentioned above. The church is shewnat the south-east angle of the ground, on the sidenearest Dover. Its west and two south doors appearto have opened outside the convent enclosure, to givefree access to the people of the town. The cloisterslay on the north side of the nave, and had to the eastsuccessively the north transept of the church, thechapter house and the dormitory. The north side wasoccupied entirely by the refectory, and the east sideappears to have been devoted, as is usually the case,to cellarage. The kitchen and buttery may havebeen in the angle between the cellarage and the refec-tory. The prior's lodging in all proba1)ility extendedfrom the west end of the nave to the gateway, withwhich possibly it communicated. In the above list ismentioned the prior's own chaml)er and the chapeladjoining. The upper chamber of the gateway was afine apartment, with a large fire-place inserted at a


33/42


34/42

24 praoRY OF s. martin, dover.

a cross Ar. betweeu four leopards faces Or. The crossis sometimes given as Or. as well as the faces.

The names of the Priors form an uninteresting list.One only seems to have attaiued any high position inthe ChurchHugh, who was made Prior in 115 7, andwho in 1174 succeeded Thomas Becket as Ai'clibishopof Canterbury.

We have now touched on all the points in the historyand remains of the Priory of general interest, and littlemore has to be said. Some considerable portion of thebuildings have come into the hands of the Dover CollegeCompany, and the Council, with praiseworthy regardto the value of their acquisition, have devoted some oftheir funds to the restoration of the Refectory. More,they cannot do at present ; but as their timely workhas saved to Dover one of its most perfect meditevalbuildings, others in their tm'n may possiljly be inducedto step forward and give them a helping hand in savingfrom the destruction which threatens them, the Gate-way and the Guest house.

G. SHIELD, PUI.NTEK, SLOANE SUVAUE, CHELSEA, 6.\V.


35/42

c=o

IMu'-i^


36/42


37/42


38/42

A 1 1 > . ^-^.^. ********^*2^^Ji^/,


39/42


40/42


41/42

000 012 -i52


42/42

an account of the priory of st. martin

Documents