Cambuskenneth Abbey, near Stirling, was founded in 1147.
The remains of the abbey were placed in State Guardianship in 1908. Stewart Cruden prepared the first guidebook in 1950; a second edition appeared in 1978. It consists of two parts: history and description. A plan is placed on the centre pages.
South and South-East England
Southwick Priory, Hampshire [EH]. The community dates to 1133 when it was established by Henry I at Portchester. The priory moved to its present site within the next two decades.
Bushmead Priory, Bedfordshire [EH]. Founded c. 1195.
East Anglia
St Botolph’s Priory, Colchester, Essex [EH]. The Augustinian priory was founded c. 1100. It was probably one of the earliest foundations in England.
Waltham Abbey, Essex [EH]. The Augustinian priory was founded in 1177 and it later became an abbey.
Creake Abbey, Norfolk [EH]. The monastic site has its origins in 1206, although the Augustinian priory is later.
St Olave’s Priory, Norfolk [EH]. The priory was founded c. 1216.
Central England
Haughmond Abbey, Shropshire [EH]. The Augustinian abbey was founded in 1135.
Lilleshall Abbey, Shropshire [EH]. Founded around 1148.
White Ladies Priory, Shropshire (Augustinian canonesses) [EH]. This seems to have been founded in 1186.
Wales
Llanthony Priory, Gwent [Cadw]. The priory was established c. 1118.
Penmon Priory, Anglesey [Cadw]. The monastic community became an Augustinian priory in the 13th century.
North-East and Yorkshire
Gisborough Priory, Yorkshire [EH]. There are two foundation dates in 1119 and 1129.
Kirkham Priory, Yorkshire [EH]. Founded by Walter l’Espec c. 1122, probably on the site of an earlier foundation.
Brinkburn Priory, Northumberland [EH]. Founded by William Bertran between 1130 and 1135.
Thornton Abbey, Lincolnshire [EH]. Founded in 1140.
Lanercost Priory, Cumbria [EH]. The traditional foundation date of the priory is 1169 in memory of Hubert de Vaux.
Scotland
Holyrood, Midlothian [HES]. The Augustinian abbey was founded by King David I in 1128.
Restenneth, Angus [HES]. The Augustinian priory was established by King David I.
St Andrews, Fife [HES]. The Augustinian foundation dates to c. 1130.
Jedburgh, Roxburghshire [HES]. The Augustinian priory was founded here in 1138 by King David I. This became an abbey in 1154.
Cambuskenneth, Stirlingshire (Augustinian of Arrouaise) [HES]. Founded around 1140 by King David I.
Inchmahome Priory, Perthshire [HES]. The priory was founded c. 1238 by the Earl of Menteith.
The remains of the cathedral at St Andrews were placed in State Guardisanship in 1946. Stewart Cruden prepared the first guidebook for The Cathedral of St. Andrews and St. Regulus Church (1950) (although the cover only shows the shorter form).
It starts with an extensive glossary, The guide is divided into two sections, each divided into history and description: first on St Regulus church, second on the cathedral. A plan of the cathedral is placed in the centre pages, and a fold-put plan of the precinct appears inside the back cover.
The Historic Scotland official souvenir guide was prepared by Richard Fawcett, and was subsequently revised by Sally Foster and Chris Tabraham. This has a guided tour followed by the story of the cathedral.
The cathedral at St Andrews was constructed from 1160. Services were taken by the Augustinian canons. It continued in use until the reformation of the church in Scotland in 1560.
To the east of the cathedral lay the earlier St Rule’s church, dating from the previous century.
The cathedral ruins were placed in State Guardianship in 1946.
Inchcolm Abbey was placed in State Guardianship in 1924. The remains was conserved by J. Wilson Paterson, the architect in charge of Ancient Monuments and Historic Buildings in Scotland. Paterson prepared the first guidebook in 1937; a second edition was published in 1950. It includes a fold-out plan of the abbey, as well as a series of evolving plans.
The foundation was Augustinian, and was probably linked to Scone or St Andrews. It became an abbey in 1235.
A new guidebook (‘Official Souvenir Guide’) was prepared by Richard Fawcett, David McRoberts and Fiona Stewart in 1989 and revised for Historic Scotland in 1998. This starts with a guided tour, and followed by ‘The story of Inchcolm Abbey and Island’. The history is taken up to the Second World War with the defence of the First of Forth.
A new format souvenir guide was prepared by Kirsty Owen.
The refectory undercroft at St Olave’s Priory in Norfolk is in remarkable condition. The bricked in doorway led from the undercroft to the kitchen court.
The south transept is one of the best preserved parts of the church at Thornton Abbey, on the south side of the Humber. The Augustinian abbey was founded in 1139 from Kirkham Priory in Yorkshire. The church seems to have been rebuilt c. 1264.
The guidebook is by Sir Alfred Clapham and P.K. Baillie Reynolds. The remains are in the care of English Heritage.
2017 marks the centenary of the first guidebooks to what can now be termed the National Heritage Collection. One of the first was written by Sir Charles Peers on St Botolph’s Priory in Colchester and now in the care of English Heritage. The guidebook was reissued as a ‘blue’ guide in 1964.
The 1917 guide include a fold-out plan of the priory inside the back cover. This was prepared by E. Dace Brown in July 1916. The guide was divided into three sections: The Augustinian Rule; History of St Botolph’s Priory; and The Priory Buildings.
The cathedral at St Andrews was started in 1160. It was here, in the east end and behind the high altar, that the relics of St Andrews were placed. There were reported to have been brought to St Andrews (Kilrymont) from Patras in Greece.
The view from St Rule’s Church shows the nave and west end of the cathedral. The cathedral was adjacent to an Augustinian priory. The western edge of the cloister can be seen in the picture.
I have noted before the souvenir guide for the Border Abbeys, published in 1964: Dryburgh, Kelso, Jedburgh and Melrose. A small card guide (with colour printing) to Melrose Abbey was issued by MPBW in 1963. On the reverse was a tour of the abbey, ending at the ‘attractive museum’. The cost was 4d (with the adult entry to the site at 1s). The suggested station was Melrose.
The MPBW card guide (monochrome on blue card) to Jedburgh Abbey is less elaborate with the tour inside with small sketches to illustrate the key features. The cost of this guide was 2d (with the adult entry to the site at 1s).
The same text appears in the DOE leaflet at a cost of 1 p. The inside pages contain the same text as the MPBW guide. On the reverse is a tour of the abbey along with a plan.
A further leaflet was available for Kelso Abbey.
Heritage Futures 