Bridlington Priory Monastic Buildings

Bridlington Priory Monastic Buildings

A lucid account of the extent and magnificence of the Monastery can be gathered from the report of Richard Pollard, a surveyor of Henry VIII. The Church, cruciform in design with a steeple at the crossing, was more than 390 feet in length, being second only in size in Yorkshire to York Minster, and much larger than Beverley Minster and Selby Abbey. Surrounding the magnificent church, with its graceful steeple towering upwards were the customary conventual buildings including Chapter House, Treasury, Cloister, Prior's Hall, Infirmary, etc. All these were destroyed or, falling into disrepair, have disappeared with the exception of the Gate-house, now known as Bayle Gate, and the magnificent Nave which was spared because it was the Parish Church of the Town. The following extracts from Pollard's report are illuminating: -

"The Steple beyng Towre ffashyon ys highe and daungerous in decaye. There be in the same Steple seven Bells mete to be rongen all at one time yff yt so happen. The seyd Churche ys devided the on part for the Pryory and Convent and the nether parte for the parysshe Churche.".

He also tells us that between the High Altar and the East Window "ys Saynt John of Brydlyngton Shryne, in a fayre Chappel on hyhe, having on ayther syde a stayre of Stone for to goo and cume by".