South East Michelham Priory and Gardens, East Sussex,

Michelham Priory is a delightful moated priory set in the set in the depths of the East Sussex countryside, a few miles north of Eastbourne.

Originally an Augustinian Priory, the Priory of the Holy Trinity was founded at Michelham in 1229 as a daughter house of Hastings Priory, by Gilbert de L’Aigle. He was an important landowner, whose ancestors had been loyal and richly rewarded supporters of William the Conqueror.

The priory buildings were built around the cloister with the church on the north side. The chancel was used by the canons. The nave was used by Priory workers and local inhabitants. On the east side was the chapter house with dormitories above. On the south was the refectory. The undercroft with the prior’s chambers were on the west side. There may have been barns and other outbuildings.

There was a prior, probably about a dozen canons as well as lay workers. It was self sufficient with a kitchen garden and farms as well as forge, mill and brewery.

Built near the River Cuckmere, it was strategically placed near the main routes linking Lewes with Battle, Hastings Rye and Winchelsea, all important settlements at the time. It had several important visitors including the Archbishop of Canterbury and Edward I.

The moat and gatehouse with a drawbrige was built at the start of the C15th - possible aimed at protecting the Priory from French attack. The drawbridge was later replaced by a bridge.

The priory began to experience major financial troubles during the C15th. By 1487, the priory was in a poor state. The 2 mills were in ruins, the granges and monks dormitory were falling apart. Assets were being sold off so monks could eat.

The Priory was seized in 1537 under Henry VIII during the Dissolution of the monasteries. The priory, and its possessions, was then granted to Thomas Cromwell. Everything of value was taken including lead from the roofs, the bells and church silver. Most of the religious buildings were pulled down and used as building stone.
Following Cromwell’s execution in 1540, it was granted to Anne of Cleeves as part of her divorce settlement. In 1556 the Crown sold the priory and lands to John Foote who had been a tenant farmer here since 1542. He used the refectory as farm buildings, living in a small timber frame extension.

The property was purchased by Sir Thomas Pelham in 1587 who had made an advantageous second marriage. He extended the building by adding a new wing to accommodate his growing family, with a dining room and parlour.

The Great barn was built sometime between 1558-1603.

Pelham over extended himself and ran out of money and put the estate up for sale. In 1601, the priory was sold to Thomas Sackville, 1st Earl of Dorset and the priory remained part of the Sackville estates for nearly 300 years. They never lived here, renting out the buildings and land to tenant farmers.

By the late C19th, Michelham Priory had fallen into disrepair and it was bought by James Gwynne who started refurbishing it to become a ‘gentleman’s residence’. It was then purchased by the Beresford-Wright Family, wealthy bankers and industrialists, who continued the restoration work. The The refectory building which had been used as farm buildings was restored a with a kitchen and domestic rooms on the ground floor. A first floor inserted to provide service quarters and accommodation.

In 1927, a fire damaged the Tudor wing, leaving just the walls standing and had to be rebuilt.

Michelham Priory housed evacuee children, Canadian soldiers, and the Home Guard during WWII.

By the late 1950s, the property was owned by Stella Hotback who was aware of the tourist potential, and opened the house, serving afternoon teas. She hadn’t got the necessary finances to run this profitably, so gifted the Priory in trust to the Sussex Archaeological Society in 1959, with an endowment from a close friend in memory of John Fletcher Boughey who had been killed in 1940.

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[Eleanor]

Michelham Priory cont - visiting

Only the fortified gatehouse, moat, restored prior’s lodgings and the Elizabethan barn survive.

The impressive gatehouse is the only unchanged building on the site, although the original portcullis was replaced by a bridge across the moat.

The lower floor had the guard house and may have also have been used as a cellar or prison with accommodation above. This is now a display area. with information boards.

The house with its different styles of architecture, is surrounded by grass and trees.

Nothing is left of the Priory church apart from markings of foundations in the lawn.

The cloister, still with the well in the centre, is now a garden. The remains of the cloister arches can be seen.

Entry is round the back of the house into the C13th undercroft with its vaulted ceiling supported by a massive pillar. This was the original guest entrance although was later used as a dairy. It now has information about the history of the Priory.

The Slype (passageway) leads to the main house. At one end is a C12th marble stoup which would have held holy water and the memorial to John Boughey is displayed on the wall.

At the end are the stairs leading to the upper floor. To the right is the Tudor dining room and parlour. To the left is the Tudor kitchen

The Dining Room is furnished much as it as it might have been in the C16th or C17th. The wood panelling is modern, dating to after the fire of 1929. The wall tapestry is a fragment of a once larger one and depicts a hunting scene. Furniture is all made of oak.

The large fireplace is original and the cast iron fireback helped not only protected the hearth from the effects of heat, it also helped reflect heat back into the room

Beyond is the Parlour. This would have been a private room used by the family, and for entertaining guests and conducting business. Women woukd also use the room for needlework and elementary schooling for the girls while keeping an eye on babies and toddlers.

Across the passageway from the dining room is the Tudor Kitchen in what was originally the refectory. The room was used as a kitchen until the 1950s although two Agas replaced the open fire.

The massive fireplace is fitted with weight driven spit that replaced a hand driven one. The turnspit boy would have sat in a special chair with a wooden panel at the side to keep the heat of the fire off him.

There would originally have been a bread oven next to the fireplace and examples of wooden bread making tools hang on the wall.

There is a large wooden bread arc designed to store bread and dry goods. It was raised off the floor and had a heavy well fitting lit to prevent rodent infestation.

Hanging on the wall is an example of a wooden trencher. Originally food was served on hard bread, a trencher, which was collected after the meal and distributed to the poor. Later trenchers were made of wood and had a shallow area for the sauces served with the meat and often a handle.

The rooms beyond the kitchen would originally have been other service rooms. One is now set up as a Victorian kitchen.

Beyond is a room set up as a World War Two room.

A splendid wooden staircase leads from the passageway between the Tudor dining room and kitchen.

At the top and over the undercroft is the Prior’s Chamber, all that remains of the original western range of the Priory. This would have been where the Prior received important guests. Originally the room would have been open to the roof. The ceiling, wood panelling and the sprung wooden dancing floor were part of the C20th restoration by the Beresford-Wrights, who used it as a sitting room. It has now been refurnished as it might have been when used by the Prior.

The Moses Tapestries depicting scenes from the story of Moses date from around 1676 and were made in Antwerp and originally belonged to the Pelham family, although they were never hung here. They were a sign of wealth and status but also served a very important function as draught excluders...

The ambry cupboard in the corner contains a lovely mid C16th Flemish figure of the Virgin and Child.

The rest of the rooms on this floor above the Tudor wing, have display panels covering the history of the Priory and its owners.

On the top floor, a room has been set up as an Evacuee’s bedroom from the start of the Second World War.

The Farmyard and Great Barn.

The timber frame Great Barn was built between 1587-1610. The opening on the north side was tall enough to allow fully loaded wagons to enter. That on the south side is lower for empty wagons to leave. It would have been used to store hay, straw and other fodder. Originally thatched, it is now roofed with tiles and used for functions, especially weddings.

The square with farmyard buildings probably dates from the early C19th when the Child family rented the property and bred Sussex Red cattle. It still has a working forge.

The rest of the buildings are now a cafe, toilets etc. Round the outside are the wagon sheds with examples of Sussex broad wheel wagons and agricultural machinery.

There is an example of a Horse Trave which was used to confine an unruly horse while being shod.

Across the lawn is the C18th dovecote which is now the shop.

This is a lovely place. I enjoyed the setting more than the inside which I did find confusing. Only the undercroft is original to the priory. The rest has been modified many times over the years and rooms are now reconstructions of what they may have been like. The guide book is helpful in understanding it all and there are room stewards who are keen to talk and answer questions.