Michelham Priory

Michelham Priory is a historic priory for Augustinian Canons, dedicated to the Holy Trinity, founded by Gilbert de Aquila in 1229 and dissolved in 1536. Edward I stayed here on the night of September 14, 1302. The remaining structure is T-shaped, with the east and north wings dating from the 13th century and the west wing added in the 16th century after the Dissolution.

The building is constructed of stone, with the east wing made of sandstone and a tiled roof. It has two storeys and an attic, except for the north wing, which has three storeys and an attic. The south front features nine windows and six modern dormers. There are two chimney breasts; one goes down to the ground, while the other is corbelled out above the ground floor, with a pointed doorway beneath it. The windows are casement style with stone mullions and dripstones, although those in the east wing are modern. This east wing served as the Refectory and has three blocked pointed arches at both the first and ground floor levels, along with one similar archway and a four-centred doorway on the ground floor. The north face of this wing has four blocked pointed archways on the ground floor, two of which have slender shafts with foliated capitals and deeply chamfered heads, indicating they were part of the Lavatory.

The north wing, originally extending further north, has been truncated and was the Prior's Lodging. It features a blocked pointed archway on the ground floor and three similar window openings above, which contain modern windows. The ground floor includes a vaulted under-croft, and some masonry further north indicates the original extent of this wing. The north face of the west wing has larger windows and a stone dormer.