Priory prying.....

I love history, in particular, local history. When I'm browsing through old books, maps and papers concerning my neck of the woods, I regularly find reference to Canwell Priory. The priory was created and, through the ages controlled by seats of power. There were always arguments about lands attached, small skirmishes and bequeathed money for newer more elaborate building. The site of the priory was flattened in the late 1700s and much of the good stone taken for a new stable block in its place. These structures were to compliment the newly built great hall, which had been partly funded by the sale of lead taken from the coffins dug up on the land (old money didn't work for their wealth, they took)! The map of 1610 shows Canwell, or Canwall as it was then known as a small settlement but there is no priory or church. It appears that by 1525 it was deserted and ownership reverted to the King. A survey in 1526 described "The Lady Chapel on the north side of the Chancel was ruinous, all but one side of the cloister has fallen down." In 1530 the bells were sold off for £13 6s 8d.

This early Ordnance Survey map from 1834 shows the hall in existence but the stable block has gone. The fashion was for great gardens and it seems the proud site of the priory didn't fit in with the plans.

A 1960s map marks the site, but there is little to see on the ground. Resident monks would, over time be promoted to Prior and when it came to retirement were well looked after. When Prior John Molton retired in 1400 it was arranged "That he was to have lodgings in the part of the priory lately built in by Ralph Bassett and to receive good food at the priors table and an annual allowance of 33 shillings and 4 pence in silver pennies for dress and other necessaries." In other papers some of these lodgings were described as being "separate and removed from the main party of buildings" to the south. On the map, to the south is a curious patch of woodland now encircled by a farm track.

I decided to see if I could find any remains of the missing priory buildings....

The priory was founded in 1140 by Geva, illegitimate daughter of Hugh 1, Earl of Chester. It was a time when people would pay for monks to pray for their souls, assuring a place in heaven. A spring was mentioned to be nearby, later named St. Modwens well. This was my clue as to locating any ruins. I soon found a small stream and tracked it up to a spring line in the slope beneath the wood. Once amongst the trees I discovered a man made gully which deepened to a gorge some 30 foot deep.

I knew I was on the right track as all around were old Yew trees. These were traditionally planted in religious places, a throwback to Pagan times when they were believed to ward away evil.

Soon I came across old dressed stone, local sandstone. There were some good sized pieces and lots of it strewn everywhere.




Then, up ahead in the distance at the far end of the ever deepening gorge, I saw it.....

It looked like a tunnel, but as I got closer I realised it was the remains of an old gate entrance.

It was made of old (you can tell by the narrow section) brick. The mortar was pale and crumbly indicating an early construction.

Inside you could see the intricacy of the brickwork. There were two small rooms in series with little alcoves at each side.

The doors from each end had long since gone, the cutouts in the wall indicated their position. It looked as if this archway had once been topped with a large stone structure but it had all collapsed. The gateway led to a curved trackway avenued with Yew, this led to a huge hollow where I suppose the lodgings had been. As I stood there in the failing light I wondered as to what goings on there had been. The monks and priors that had once lived here weren't always what you would expect. In 1272 a monk, William de Sutton (a local), killed a man, fled and was outlawed. The priory was fined 1 Mark for letting him escape. In 1377 there were 3 monks and 1 prior but by 1456 there was a crisis because there were no monks left. When a prior retired he would get a good pension and a resident monk would take over his position. It was quickly realised by the monks that this way they could all retire and live happily ever after. This scam was eventually addressed when it was found that one Prior didn't even live in Canwell and was actually in jail elsewhere!

The sun bowed out for the day, glowing orange across the sunken treetops in the hollow of the forgotten priory, its secrets shared but not fully discovered....

Just a walk in the woods.....

Nature was calling..No, I don't mean that way, (I went before I came out!). It was sunny and I had not had chance to get out into the greenery for a while.

This is the old mill site near the village of Hints. I love the sign on the way into the village, "Hints, please drive carefully", I took the 'hint' as there were lots of Gatsos.

The main dam still survives, one of the few features not too overgrown. Many of the leats and courses don't reveal themselves until you're up to your waist in mud!

Black brook used to feed the mill, but now meanders unimpeded. The banks are lined with Himalayan Balsam (a foreign invader), the bees and damsel flies seem to like it, but it swamps everything else out and when it dies back in winter leaves the banks bare and open to erosion.

A flash of blue! A small bird flies low to the water along the length of the stream and perches on a branch right next to me. It's a Kingfisher! I'd just switched my camera off and tucked it away safe in my rucksack. Scrabbling at my bag I found the camera. The brightly coloured chap sat there gently bobbing on his perch looking amused at my frantic antics. Got my camera....starting up...'Welcome'....don't welcome me, just switch on! On, zoom in, focus,..press button. Got it!

Yes! I'd got it. This perfectly framed, close up picture of where a Kingfisher once sat.

I took a step back to see where it had gone, (((Crunch))) I hadn't noticed my picnic falling out of my bag and now I'd stomped it into the mud! This chap knew what he was doing, I reckon he'd played this trick before. He's going on the list!

Knowing that Kingfishers tend to use the same fishing post regularly, I hung around for a while. In the meantime I contented myself by taking some pics of Emerald Damsel flies on the far bank.

These made a nice change from the blue ones that I see when kayaking. Often they end up in the water while 'fighting' with their reflections. It is always a race to save them before a Chubb gives them a nasty suck. I say suck, because they never get eaten, they must taste bad as they get spat out almost immediately. The nose of the kayak is employed as drying area and recovery room.

The farmer and his dog....How many times has this fooled me? It's just a couple of tree stumps! The first time had been in winter, late afternoon and it was going dark. I had wandered off the path and didn't want a remonstration with an irate farmer telling me to get off his land. I waited ages for him to go, what the hell is he doing? Why can't he go away? Eventually I could wait no longer. I felt such a berk when I realised my mistake.

What I thought was his waist, is an iron band left over from a protective cage. Ironic, that the cage that was put there to save damage from livestock, 150 years later probably killed it!

I remembered to take the high ground. The lower meadow looks beautiful, but beware! This must have been the mill pool at one time. Skipping merrily among the wild flowers, I once found myself stranded on a small tussock, an island among what seemed a minefield of peaty bog holes. Unable to quite remember the route in, (too busy skipping) it took me ages to pick my way out.

This once used to be part of the Canwell estate. At the turn of time there used to be a priory, secreted amongst the trees in a huge hollow, (I found the ruins a while ago, they're creepy, posting in the off!) this was superseded by a great hall. Eventually this developed into a farming estate, and in the 1800's in the land grab of the enclosures, much of the previous 'common land' was fenced off. Many of the richest estates had this distinctive iron fencing. Inheritance tax, designed to bring about the demise and unfairness of these big estates, led to the Canwell lands being distributed as small holdings to deserving returning first world war soldiers. Grandeur's such as stone gate posts, mills and this railing are gradually being consumed by nature.

The sun was fierce and the incline tiring as I completed the arduous final leg to my picnic destination. The hill steepened (as often they do as you get older), but just when I'd had enough, the path levelled out and the soft grass invited me to sit a while....

A lovely spot that photos can never do justice, (especially when your camera battery has gone flat!). Rolling hills to the east, firs and fields as far as 'crows castle' (a hill topped with a mound and a circle of Scots pines where the buzzards now roost) to the west.

Now, where's that food....Oh look, really thin sandwiches, and lots of tiny, tiny crisps!