Administration Building At Monk Bretton Priory

The administration building is part of the remains of Monk Bretton Priory, dating to the late 13th or early 14th century, with a re-roofing in 1931. It is constructed of squared, coursed rubble with Welsh slate roofs. The building has a rectangular plan.

The west side features quoins. The entrance is on the left, with a chamfered, quoined surround and a later cambered head, alongside a narrow chamfered light to the right. A continuous dripmould runs over the ground floor. The first floor has three double-chamfered, three-light windows to the left and right of a central doorway with a chamfered, quoined surround. The roof has two spans. The rear elevation is similar to the front, with an entrance to the right and three double-chamfered, three-light windows on the first floor. The left and right returns have four narrow ground-floor lights and two gables.

The interior is arranged over four bays, divided by three octagonal, monolithic stone piers with good moulded bases and capitals. These piers support a single longitudinal beam braced to the gable ends. A second tier of wooden piers supports the roof valleys. Crossbeams braced to the front and back walls formerly supported the first floor. The ground-floor wall is substantially thicker than that of the first floor. A fireplace is situated in the front wall on the ground floor, but there is no chimney.

Historically, the building was traditionally known as the guest house, but this is considered unlikely due to the absence of fireplaces and garderobes. It’s thought more probable that it served as an administrative building for the priory’s estates, with the upper floor potentially serving as a manorial courtroom.

Monk Bretton Priory, the monastery of St. Mary Magdalen, was founded around 1154 for the Monks of the Order of Cluny, colonised from La Charité-sur-Loire. It became Benedictine in 1281. Following the Dissolution in 1538, the priory passed through several ownerships until it was acquired by Barnsley Borough, who placed the ruins in the care of the state in 1932. The building is a Scheduled Ancient Monument.