Ruins Of The Refectory South Of The House At Kerswell Priory

The ruins of the refectory south of the house at Kerswell Priory are a roofless structure that was originally part of the priory. It dates from the late 15th century to early 16th century, although most of the walls were rebuilt in the 19th and 20th centuries. Constructed from stone rubble, the building has a rectangular plan that runs parallel to the main house. It consists of five bays divided into three rooms, with the central three bays likely serving as the communal refectory, which, along with a smaller room to the east, was heated by an open hearth. After the Dissolution, the building was probably converted into a farmhouse and functioned as a farm building by the 19th century. It retained a high-quality medieval wind-braced roof until 1984, when the roof was removed to Buckfast Abbey and the building was partially demolished.

The remaining walls, capped with concrete, stand about 3 meters high, reaching approximately 5 meters at the east end. The north wall features three doorways and two windows that relate to the 19th-century agricultural use of the structure. While the current state of the building has limited intrinsic merit, it holds archaeological significance as part of the Priory complex. At the time of a survey in 1987, the medieval roof was in storage and could potentially be returned to the building. Various articles have been published about the refectory, which are referenced in the entries on Kerswell Priory at the Sites and Monuments Register, County Hall. The Exeter Archaeology article from 1984/5 includes scale drawings of the building when the roof was still in place.