Kirkham Priory - York, North Yorkshire (EH)
Kirkham Priory was founded in the 1120s by Walter Esoec, Lord of nearby Helmsey, and later patron of the Cistercians at Rievaulx. This priory was a house of Augustinian canons,
communities of priests who observed the Rule of St Augustine and who took responsibility
for parish churches early in their history, the canons of Kirkham survived an attempt to
transfer the priory to the Cistercian order.
The Gatehouse
The Priory grounds are entered through an ornate 13th Century gatehouse
faced with heraldry and figure sculpture. The sculptures are of St George and the Dragon
on the lower left, David and Goliath on the right and the empty trefoiled niche in the
centre once held a carving of the Crucifixion.
Flanking the windows are two shields, one for the arms of Espec and the
other for Fitz-Ralph. Below these and above the sculptures are, on the east the arms of
Scrope and de Roos and to the west the arms of de Roos and Fortibus.
Walking through the gatehouse visitors pass connected buildings to the
east and west. The western range can be explored. Here evidence of a vaulted roof and
modernised windows are visible. Beyond the gatehouse the priory extends as a wide expanse
of grass rising to an extensive private property on the hill to the west and sloping down
to the River Derwent on the east. The view of the hill above the river is dominated by a
blanket of Norwegian firs with only a small area of indigenous English trees visible which
the canons of the 12th century would have been more familiar with.
Monastic Buildings
Although the monastic buildings are much ruined the excavations provide an
excellent view of the priory's former shape and size.
This view is of the vaulted entrance to the cloister and remains of the
south-west tower above, with the steps at the west end of the nave in the foreground.
Church
The first church was a plain aisleless cruciform building, built about
1140. It was rebuilt in around 1180 when the external walls were increased in thickness
and then during the early 13th Century a major scheme of enlargement was started. It ended
with the building of two piers intended to carry the eastern arch of a new central tower
which due a shortage of funds was never actually completed.
At the east end of the church a block of fine 13th century detail shows
what the east front was like. The eastern bay, which is narrower than the rest, was
occupied by a platform on which three, or perhaps five, alters stood, as at Rievaulx.
Other interesting features are the excavated drainage channels and the
12th century re-used doorway to the 13th century dining hall. This is a very tranquil site
with beautiful views and interesting architectural features.
