Monument record 10319/9 - Arch from St Mary's Priory, Relocated to Grosvenor Park

In the early nineteenth century, while the buildings that had once been part of St Mary’s Benedictine Nunnery (CHER 10319, see CHER 10385 for post-Dissolution use) were being demolished to make way for an approach to Harrison’s new Shire Hall at Chester Castle, one part of the former priory was saved and moved off the site (11). One surviving arch, thought to have been from the chancel of the nunnery church, was taken down and re-erected in what was then the grounds of a private house known as St John’s Priory, to be moved again later to its present site in Grosvenor Park (11). It appears that the arch is the same one which is seen in the engraving by the Buck brothers (1727), which shows the former nunnery in a ruinous state (11).

<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.

<12> English Heritage, 2005, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, 469812 (Digital Archive). SCH4666.