Monument record 10385 - Post Dissolution Use of Former Benedictine Nunnery

Shortly after the Dissolution in 1539, the land and buildings of the former Benedictine Nunnery of St Mary’s were granted to Urian Brereton, and the complex became the Chester residence of the Brereton's of Handforth (10). By the time of the Civil War, the property was in the hands of Sir William Brereton, commander in the Cheshire Parliamentary forces who occasionally lived in the property until his death in 1661 (3). During the war, the buildings were severely damaged, and because they were not repaired, they gradually fell into a more ruinous condition (11). A 1727 engraving by the Buck brothers shows the Nunnery as simply two surviving walls in the foreground of an image of the castle (11).

Whatever remained of the complex in the early nineteenth century (after 1806) was demolished and grassed over, in order to provide a clear approach to Harrison’s new Shire Hall at the Castle, and an account of the ground works associated with this explains how human remains and fragments of medieval and Norman style windows and doors were found (8). One surviving arch, probably from the chancel of the nunnery church, was taken down and re-erected in the grounds of a private house known as St John’s Priory, to be moved again later to its present site in Grosvenor Park (CHER 10384).

<1> Irvine W F, 1907, Notes on the history of St Mary’s Nunnery, Chester, Irvine W F 1907 13/67-109 (Article in Journal). SCH5550.

<2> Harris, B.E. (ed), 1987, Victoria County History - A History of the County of Chester: Volume I, 3/146-150 Harris B 1980 (Book). SCH3556.

<3> Rutland S.M, 1965, St Mary’s Nunnery, Chester, 1964. An Interim Report (Article in Journal). SCH5879.

<4> Morris, Rupert H (Rev.), 1894, Chester in the Plantagenet & Tudor Reigns, /141 (Book). SCH946.

<5> Ordnance Survey, 1870-1982, Ordnance Survey Archaeological Record Card, SJ46NW46/1964 (Index). SCH2487.

<6> Knowles, D & Hadcock, RN, 1953, Medieval Religious Houses: England and Wales, /211 (Book). SCH2177.

<7> Gastrell F, 1845-1850, Notitia Cestriensis, or historical notices of the diocese of Chester, Gastrell F 1845/78 & 79 (Article in Journal). SCH2290.

<8> Ormerod, G., 1882, The History of the County Palatine and City of Chester, Ormerod G 1882 1/346 (Book). SCH1389.

<9> Lysons D & Lysons S, 1806-22, Magna Britannia, Lysons D & S 1810 2/(2)/453 (Book). SCH2066.

<10> Earthworks Archaeological Services, 2004, Proposed redevelopment at the Police Headquarters Building, Nun's Road, Chester; an archaeological evaluation., R2739 (Client Report). SCH4856.

<11> Ward, S. W., 1990, Excavations at Chester: The Lesser Medieval Religious Houses - Sites Investigated, 1964-83 (Grosvenor Museum Archaeological Excavation & Survey Reports) (Monograph). SCH1193.