Ancient Monuments

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Hurley Priory: A moated Benedictine priory and fishponds and the remains of Ladye Place Mansion

A Scheduled Monument in Hurley, Windsor and Maidenhead


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Latitude: 51.5495 / 51°32'58"N

Longitude: -0.8087 / 0°48'31"W

OS Eastings: 482696.306961

OS Northings: 184072.136016

OS Grid: SU826840

Mapcode National: GBR D61.SF1

Mapcode Global: VHDWH.XBT0

Entry Name: Hurley Priory: A moated Benedictine priory and fishponds and the remains of Ladye Place Mansion

Scheduled Date: 12 January 1949

Last Amended: 8 June 1993

Source: Historic England

Source ID: 1007933

English Heritage Legacy ID: 19020

County: Windsor and Maidenhead

Civil Parish: Hurley

Built-Up Area: Hurley

Traditional County: Berkshire

Lieutenancy Area (Ceremonial County): Berkshire

Church of England Parish: Burchetts Green

Church of England Diocese: Oxford


The monument includes all that is known to survive of Hurley Priory, a moated
monastic complex on the south bank of the River Thames. Today all that is
visible of the monument are the remains of a rectangular moat, fishponds and
various buildings, though much more will survive as buried features. The moat
is best preserved in the north where it survives as a steep sided, water-
filled linear pond up to 10m wide. It can be traced along its eastern side as
a series of partly infilled hollows, while the south and west sides of the
enclosure are now no longer recognisable as earthwork features although Mill
Lane and Hurley High Street are considered to follow the line of the ditch.
In the north eastern corner of the island are two water-filled fishponds; the
eastern one has dimensions of 38m north to south by 30m east to west, the
western correspondingly 43m by 37m. Standing remains within the monument
consist of the refectory, a part of the northern cloister range dating to c.
1300 AD, and the priory wall. To the south-east of the church are the remains
of a brick built crypt. The site represents a Benedictine monastery founded
as a cell of Westminster by Geoffery de Mandeville and dedicated to the memory
of his first wife, Athelais. It remained in Benedictine hands until 1536 when
the monastery was dissolved, the land then passing into secular ownership.
Several families subsequently held Hurley until 1550 when John Lovelace had a
house built, Ladye Place Mansion, in the area south of the church. The crypt
is all that survives of this house following its demolition in 1837.
Excluded from the scheduling are St Mary's Church (listed Grade II*), the
refectory (listed Grade II*), the priory wall (listed Grade II), the gatehouse
and archway (listed Grade II*), the cloisters (listed Grade II*) and all
modern buildings, fences and metalled surfaces but the ground beneath all of
these is included.


Source: Historic England

Reasons for Scheduling

religious and secular life in the British Isles. Settlements of religious
religious observance under some form of systematic discipline. It is estimated
from documentary evidence that over 700 monasteries were founded in England.
These ranged in size from major communities with several hundred members to
although all possess the basic elements of church, domestic accommodation for
the community, and work buildings. Monasteries were inextricably woven into
churches, almshouses, hospitals, farming estates and tenant villages.
successful order many Benedictine houses became extremely wealthy and
of their buildings. Benedictine monasteries made a major contribution to many
facets of medieval life and all examples exhibiting significant surviving
archaeological remains are worthy of protection.

Hurley Priory is an excellent example of a moated monastic complex. The site
has a well documented history and limited early excavations have demonstrated
good survival of archaeological deposits. There is a high probability that
environmental evidence is present, particularly in the ditch fills, while the
survival of organic remains is possible in the waterlogged conditions of the
wet moat and fishponds. Such evidence can provide a clear indication of the
wealth and economy of the community and details of the landscape in which they

Source: Historic England


Books and journals
Howarth, M, The Monks of Hurley Priory, (1986)

Source: Historic England
