St Mary’s Priory Church

1128 Reviews

Star Travel Rating

5/5

Review type

Things to do

Location

Date of travel

June, 2021

Product name

Product country

Product city

Travelled with

Solo

Reasons for trip

Only the nave and the SW tower survive of a once important Gilbertine Priory. This is the only one of the 26 monasteries founded by Gilbert of Semperingham to survive. It is the only religious order that began in England. There are a series of information boards about him in the church.

The Gilbertine priory was built by local landowner, Eustace Fitz John in the late C12th. The workmanship was of very high standard and masons marks include those of men who worked at Ripon Cathedral.

The “Priory”:https://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-s/06/69/f2/ac/st-mary-s-priory-church.jpg was endowed with farmland and was one of the largest and wealthiest of the Gilbertine Houses. Many of the canons represented the area in Parliament.

The north west NW tower collapsed in a fire that caused major damage to the north aisle at the start of the C15th. It was rebuilt in the Perpendicular style which explains the perpendicular window in the west wall and the ornate pillar in the north wall and different arcading at the back of the church.

The Priory was dissolved in 1539 and the canons were pensioned off, although some became parish clergy in the area. The monastic buildings were used for building stones. The church survived as the parish church.

The central tower was taken down in 1636 as it was unsafe and the church sustained damage from canon balls during the Civil War. By the early C18th the church was in a ruinous condition. Permission was given to demolish the north aisle, remove the clerestory and shorten the east end of the church by removing the chancel, which had been the preserve of the monks.

There was a major restoration in 1877, undertaken by the architect Temple Moore, with the imminent collapse of the remaining south west tower. The south aisle was removed. The Norman pillars of the south arcade can be seen in the south wall, but the arches have been filled in. The roof had to be replaced based on a C15th design. Temple Moore was responsible for the organ case, panelling in the chancel and the splendid tester above the altar. Seven of the original 35 misericords survive. The rest are from the C19th restoration.

St Mary’s Priory Church is in Old Malton, a short distance from New Malton. It is open daily and cars can be parked just inside the entrance gateway. The post code is YO17 7HB and the grid reference is SE798726.

It is definitley worth stopping to visit.

ESW

Join the club

Become a member to receive exclusive benefits

Our community is the heart of Silver Travel Advisor, we love nothing more than sharing ideas, inspiration, hints and tips between us.

Come feel the love on a Princess cruise. You’ll enjoy the MedallionClass experience others simply can’t, and it’s exclusively for everyone. Visit incredible destinations and be involved in the best experiences around each one of them.

Experience more with Princess and connect effortlessly with the world around you, spend time away with loved ones, take a moment for yourself, and fall in love with your holiday of a lifetime, every time.

With over 20 years of experience, Wendy Wu Tours has mastered the art of creating exceptional, fully inclusive tours which showcase the very best of each destination.

Each tour is led by a world-class guide, who will highlight the very best of their homeland, and includes authentic cultural experiences so you are not just seeing the sights, but truly immersing yourself in local life.

Say hello to ease at sea. Ambassador’s purpose is simple: they want to inspire every guest to experience authentic cruising, effortlessly and sustainably. Passionate about protecting our oceans and destinations, their ships comply with the highest industry emission standards and there is no single-use plastic on board.

On your voyage, you will receive the warmest of welcomes from the Ambassador community as you sail upon the friendliest ships afloat.

This is a global co-operative co-owned by local partners using real local experts and guides, which supports local communities, environments and wildlife. It offers travellers quirky places to stay, activity holidays and learning experiences. Not In The Guidebooks gets travellers off the beaten track into local culture with day experiences and longer, immersive adventures.

From wild wellness breaks in Wales to painting in Portugal, sustainable adventures in Mauritius to food safaris in Brazil, this is immersive, exciting travel.

Seabourn’s five intimate ships carry guests to the heart of great cities, exclusive yacht harbours and secluded coves around the world, while two new purpose-built expedition ships will combine exhilarating adventures in remote destinations with the sophisticated amenities of the world’s finest resorts at sea.

From the luxury of all suite accommodations to complimentary fine wines and spirits, and a no tipping policy, Seabourn exemplifies the definition of travelling well.