List of monastic houses in Suffolk
The following is a list of monastic houses in Suffolk, England.
Alphabetical listing
| Foundation | Image | Communities & Provenance | Formal name or dedication and alternative names | |
| Alnesbourne Priory | Augustinian Canons Regular founded c.1200, probably by Alberte de Neville, who granted endowments; appropriated to Woodbridge probably c.1466; dissolved before 1514; granted to Sir John Wingfield 1541/2 | The Priory Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Alnesbourne Alnesbourn Priory; Alnesborn Priory; Alensborne Priory | ||
| Babwell Greyfriars | Franciscan Friars Minor, Conventual transferred from earlier foundation at Bury St Edmunds; founded 19 November 1262; dissolved December 1538, surrendered to Richard Yngworth, Bishop of Dover; granted to Anthony Harvey May 1541 | |||
| Battisford Preceptory | Knights Hospitaller preceptory/hospital founded c.1154, benefactions from Henry II; dissolved 1540 | |||
| Blakenham Priory | Benedictine monks alien house: dependent on Bec-Hellouin Abbey; manor granted to Bec-Hellouin by Walter Giffard, 'Earl of Buckingham' founded before 1092; dissolved before 1230, apparently reduced to grange; transferred as a parcel to Ogbourne St George; granted to Eton College 1460 | Great Blakenham Priory | ||
| Blythburgh Blackfriars | Dominican Friars licence obtained 1384 to move from Dunwich, when that location was threatened by the sea but transfer never implemented | |||
| Blythburgh Priory | Augustinian Canons Regular — from St. Osyth's Abbey, Essex ependent on St Osyth; founded before 1135, assisted by Henry I and the Clavering family; dissolved 12 February 1537 and granted to Sir Arthur Hopton 1538/9 | The Priory Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Blythburgh ____________________ Bliburgh Priory | ||
| Bruisyard Abbey | secular college ; transferred here 1354; dissolved 4 October 1366; Franciscan nuns — from Waterbeach, Cambridgeshire founded 1364-7 by Lionel, Duke of Clarence; dissolved 1359; granted to Nicholas Hare 1539 | Brusyard Priory | ||
| Bungay Priory + | Benedictine nuns founded 1183 by Roger de Glanvill and his wife, Countess Gundreda; dissolved 1336; nuns appear to have abandoned the house before April 1536; granted to Thomas, Duke of Norfolk 1537/8; most of conventual buildings destroyed by fire 1688; rebuilt 1699; reopened 1701 for parochial use as the Parish Church of St Mary | The Priory Church of Saint Mary and the Holy Cross, Bungay | ||
| Bury St Edmunds Abbey | Saxon monks founded 633 by Sigeberht, King of the East Angles; destroyed in raids by the Danes c. 870 secular founded 903; refounded c.925, endowed by King Athelstan; Benedictine monks founded 1020-2; dissolved 4 November 1539; granted to John Eyre 1559/60; subsequently granted to Thomas Badyby; abbot's palace in use as a house until 1720; other buildings incorporated into houses 17th and 19th century: extant; remains now within a public park; episcopal diocesan Bury St Edmunds Cathedral in precinct | The Abbey Church of Saint Edmund, Thomas Lacy and his wife Alice; dissolved May 1528, suppressed for Wolsey's college at Ipswich; granted to Richard Percival and Edmund Duffield 1611/2 | The Priory Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, Ipswich | |
| Ipswich Priory | Augustinian Canons Regular founded during the reign of William the Conqueror by Gilbert Blund; dissolved; granted to Richard Codington 1538/9 | |||
| Ipswich Whitefriars | Carmelite Friars founded before c.1271 ; rededicated 1477 after a probable major rebuild; dissolved 1538; granted to John Eyre 1544/5 | |||
| Ixworth Priory, earlier site | possible early projection c.1100 either failed or lapsed; Augustinian Canons Regular founded c.1170 by a member of the Blunt family destroyed during civil warfare; | The Priory Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Ixworth | ||
| Ixworth Priory ^ | Augustinian Canons Regular | The Priory Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Anthony, Kersey | ||
| Lavenham Priory ^ | Benedictine monks converted into mansion latterly open to public, now hotel accommodation | |||
| Leiston Abbey ^ | Premonstratensian Canons from Welbeck Abbey, Nottinghamshire ; transferred here 1365; dissolved 1536; granted to Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk 1537; parts of the conventual church incorporated into later buildings; remains incorportated into house named 'Abbey House' built on site 17th century; | Leyestone Abbey | ||
| Letheringham Priory | Augustinian Canons Regular dependent on SS Peter & Paul, Ipswich; founded c.1194 by William de Bovile; dissolved 1537; granted to Elizabeth Naunton, daughter of Sir Antony Naunton of Wingfield 1553; | The Priory Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Letheringham Letherington Priory | ||
| Little Welnetham | Trinitarian | |||
| Mendham Priory | Cluniac monks alien house: dependent on Castle Acre Priory, Norfolk; founded before 1155 by William Huntingfield; became denizen: independent from sometime between 1351 and 1374; dissolved 1537; granted to Richard Freston | All Saints Mindham Priory | ||
| Old Leiston Abbey | Premonstratensian Canons daughter of Welbeck Abbey], Nottinghamshire; founded 1183 by Sir Ranulph de Glanvil; obtained licence from pope Urban V to move to another site due to flooding; transferred to new site at Leiston 1365; old site continued in use as a cell | The Blessed Virgin Mary | ||
| Orford Austin Friars | Augustinian Friars founded 1295-9, land granted by Robert Hewell 1205, building appears to have begun 1299; dissolved December 1538 | |||
| Redlingfield Priory ^ | Benedictine nuns founded c.1120 by Manasses, Count of Giusnes and his wife Emma; dissolved 10 February 1537; granted to Edmund Bedingfield 1536/7; house rebuilt 1875; monastic remains incorporated into barn | The Priory Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Andrew, Redlingfield | ||
| Ringshall Cell | Benedictine monks purportedly a cell | |||
| Rumburgh Priory + | possible site of Saxon minster or monastery, 11th century; Benedictine monks priory dependent on St. Benet's Abbey, Norfolk founded between 1047 possibly subsequently dependent on St Mélanie, Rennes; cell dependent on St Mary's Abbey, York, York c.1137: granted to York by Stephen, Earl of Britanny 1135; dissolved 1528; suppressed for Wolsey's college at Ipswich; conventual church in parochial use as the Parish Church of St Michael | ThePriory Church of Saint Michael and Saint Felix, Rumburgh Wisseta Priory | ||
| St. Olaves Priory, Herringfleet | Augustinian Canons Regular founded c.1216 by Roger fitz Osbert; dissolved 1537; purchased by Sir Henry Jerningham, who built house on site 1547, incorporating monastic remains; demolished 1784, and stone removed to repair Herringfleet church; refectory undercroft converted to a cottage 1825 in use until 1902 | The Priory Church of Saint Olave, Heringfleet St Mary and St Olave, King and Martyr Herringfleet Priory | ||
| Sibton Abbey | Cistercian monks from Warden Abbey, Bedfordshire founded 22 February 1150 by William de Cayneto ; dissolved 1536; granted to Thomas Howard, Duke of Norfolk; sold to John Scrivener 1610; house built on the site, demolished later 18th century; site currently within the estate of 19th century house named 'Sibton Abbey', without public access | The Abbey Church of Saint Mary, Sibton Abbey | ||
| Snape Priory # | Benedictine monks cell dependent on St John's Abbey Colchester, Essex founded 1155 by William Martel, his wife and son; dependent on Butley, granted by Henry VIII; dissolved 19 January 1525; Abbey Farm possibly occupies the site, though buildings appear not to incorporate monastic remains | St Mary | ||
| South Elmham Monastery | apparent religious centre 7th century | |||
| Stoke by Clare Priory | Benedictine monks alien house: dependent on Bec-Hellouin Abbey; ; transferred here 1124 from Clare; dissolved 1415; became a secular college; enlarged 1897 by Lutyens; dissolved 1548, converted into a mansion; present house currently in use as a school named 'Stoke College'; church rebuilt and in parochial use as the Parish Church of St John the Baptist; | |||
| Stoke-by-Nayland Monastery | monks or secular college founded before 946 possibly during the reign of King Edmund by Alfgar who left bequest to the community of Stoke; land granted to Ely by King Edgar | |||
| BlackFriars, Sudbury | Dominican Friars founded before 1247 by Baldwin de Shipling; dissolved 1539; granted to Thomas Eden, Esq. 1539/40 demolished for a residential house; 'Priory Wall' is sleeper wall of 'Priory Gate', built shortly before dissolution | |||
| Sudbury Augustinian Priory # | Augustinian Canons Regular | |||
| Sudbury Benedictine Priory # | Benedictine monks cell dependent on Westminster Abbey Middlesex; founded c.1115 by Wilfric; chapel built early-15th century, but monastic buildings appear not to have been built; dissolved c.1538; granted to the Dean and Chapter of Westminster 1542/3; priory house demolished 1779 | St Bartholomew's Chapel | ||
| Wangford Priory | Cluniac monks cell dependent on Thetford Priory, Norfolk; founded before 1160 by Doudo Asini; became denizen: independent from sometime between 1376 and 1393; granted to Thomas, Duke of Norfolk 1540/1; last remains demolished 19th century | |||
| Welnetham Crutched Friars | Crutched Friars dependent on London, Middlesex ; chapel of St Thomas Martyr granted to London; founded before 1274; dissolved 1538 | |||
| Wherstead Priory | uncertain order and foundation; alleged 13th century monastery at Wervestede | ' | ||
| Wickham Skeyth Priory | Benedictine monks dependent on Colchester, Essex; founded after 1135 by Robert de Salchovilla, later a monk at Colchester; dissolved c. 1164, transferred to Colchester by consent of Jordan, son of the founder | Wickham Skeith Priory | ||
| Woodbridge Priory | Augustinian Canons Regular founded c.1193 by Ernald Rufus ; dissolved 1534/7; granted to Thomas Seckford, Master of Requests 1576/7; building constructed on site 1547-64, now in use as school known as 'the Abbey' | The Blessed Virgin Mary | ||
| Yenston Grange | Benedictine monks alien house: grange dependent on'' St-Sever; foundation and dissolution unknown |