Llanthony Priory

The surviving ruins of the Priory are built of local red sandstone ashlar and rubble with much surviving carved work. They form the whole of the church ground plan, most of the west end; the walling and entry below the west window and both the towers to three stages; the north nave arcade with triforium; the west wall of the crossing tower; a lot of the south transept, a little of the north transept, and varying heights of walling to the east end. The north and south aisles hardly survive at all. The nave is said to have still been unroofed in 1504, but whether this means it never had a roof is not known; it may just mean that it was unvaulted and had a timber roof. To the south of this are the vaulted entry to the cloister (slype) and the base walling of the Chapter House. These survivals are of two distinct architectural characters. The east end and the transepts are Transitional and date from c1175-1200; there was a grant for this work from Henry II. The nave and west end are Early English and date from c1200-1220. The Chapter House dates from the mid C13 in a rather later Early English style. Characteristics of the design are the two storey elevations, the arched windows framed by Romanesque colonnettes at the east end, and the very typical lancets and multi shafting at the west end where the West Country style is most evident and includes concave backed niches. Also continuously moulded north arcade. The nave has six even bays west of the crossing and then two wider bays going into the west front. Waterholding bases feature to the colonnettes both in the nave and in the Chapter House, which also had a five order recessed entrance. The only surviving vaults are the two bay rib vault in the eastern entry (slype), and in the undercroft to the Prior's Lodging now the Abbey Hotel (qv).