Ruins Of Priory Church

The ruins are of an Augustinian priory church, founded around 1220 by Robert de Bello Campo (Beauchamp). The church itself dates from shortly after this time, built in the Early English style. A Lady Chapel was added around 1330 for Bishop Walter de Stapledon, and a west tower was also constructed around the same time. The walls are of coursed slatestone rubble.

The original plan included a Lady Chapel to the east of the chancel and nave. Foundations remain showing a projecting stone altar to the east of the Lady Chapel, and a priest’s door to the southwest, featuring a roll-and-tongue stop to the chamfered jambs. A similar jamb is present at the north side of the doorway to the chancel. The north wall of the chancel has, from east to west, a blocked pointed-arched opening, a pointed-arched window opening, and a pointed-arched doorway with roll-and-tongue stops to chamfered jambs and hollow-chamfered imposts. The north wall of the nave, which has mortice slots for the former cloister roof, contains a segmental arch over a blocked doorway with roll-and-tongue stops to chamfered jambs, a plain string course, and lower sections of clerestory windows above. A tall lancet window is situated at the west end of this wall, between two blocked doorways. Remains of arches and doorways remain at the west end of the north side. The wall of the nave joins what was a tower, with two doorways, each featuring roll-and-tongue stops to chamfered jambs. The west gable end of the nave has three graduated lancets, with a trefoil at the center. A mid-13th century pointed-arched, hollow-moulded doorway below the central window has a 17th-century frame and studded door. An inner recess is visible on the north chancel wall. Scattered around the site are pieces of moulded stonework used for tracery.

The priory was initially colonized from Hartland Abbey. The ruins represent the most significant surviving remains of a religious house in north Devon. They are scheduled as an Ancient Monument.