Mount Grace Priory

SE 49 NW 2/2 31.3.70

EAST HARLSEY A 19 (east side, off) Mount Grace Priory

GV I

Ruins of Carthusian Priory. 1398 and C15. Ashlar, coursed squared stone. Plan: great cloister to north, church to centre, scanty remains of lay brothers' quarters to south. Gateway to west attached to Mount Grace House (qv). Church: ruins of nave, north and south transepts with central crossing and tower, chancel. Nave: now ruinous, west wall with moulded pointed-arched door below large 4-centred-arched window, both with hoods. Central tower of 2 stages above roof level. Offset diagonal buttresses, tall pointed-arched, cusped belfry openings with hoodmoulds. Moulded eaves band, embattled parapet with remains of pinnacles to each corner. South transept has offset diagonal buttresses with large Perpendicular window opening with hoodmould. Chancel has remains of north wall with 3 high 4-centred-arched windows. Interior: crossing has clustered responds with moulded capitals, to moulded pointed arches with hoodmoulds. Great cloister: 270 feet by 230 feet; around an open square are remains of single cells with their attached gardens for approximately 20 monks. Courtyard wall remains to first-floor height, with front walls of cells rising to 2-storey height. Corbels at first-floor level for former covered walkway. Each cell has a 4-centred-arched doorway with a right-angled food opening to the side. To north of cloister is a complete monks cell restored c1901. It is of 2 storeys. Central 4-centred-arched doorway with hoodmould and food opening to right. First-floor band. Stone coping, graduated stone slate roof. Behind each cell is garden wall and lavatory set in the wall with a chamfered doorway. To east side of cloister is a wellhead with gabled vaulted roof. To the north-west of the church nave is the remains of an oriel window, probably to the Prior's house. To south-west of church attached to the Mount Grace House is the main entrance under 3 pointed arches. History: it is the best preserved charterhouse in England. It was founded by Thomas of Holland, Duke of Surrey in 1398; and is the last but one of 7 charterhouses erected between 1343 and 1414. VCH, II, pp 24-26. Mount Grace Priory English Heritage Guide Book. Ancient Monument No 10, North Yorkshire.

Listing NGR: SE4491098484