Bridlington Priory

Find out more information about the beautiful and historic Priory in Bridlington Old Town. History of the Priory and it's life today...

Bridlington Priory is part of Bridlington Old Town. It is a beautiful old building, with lots of history, and is still used today, for worship and other religious and community events.

History of the Priory

• The Priory was founded in 1113 by Walter de Gaunt, who was a local Lord of the Manor (Hunmanby).
• It was founded as an Augustinian monastery and convent.
• It was built on the site of an old Saxon Church and a nunnery.
• The Priory was a very impressive building at over 400ft long, and 75ft wide.
• The most famous resident of the Priory was St John of Bridlington.
  • John was born in the neary village of Thwing in 1320, and became Prior of Bridlington Priory
  • He was a kind and generous man - always ready to help anyone in need.
  • John of Bridlington died in 1379, and was canonised as a saint in September 1401
• St John of Bridlington quickly became a very popular and revered saint. People flocked to the Priory to pay pilgrimage to his shrine.
• Even the Kings of England - King Henry IV and King Henry V (in 1421) - visited the Priory.
• The Priory became a very wealthy establishment, with lands throughout Yorkshire - stretching from Blubberhouses in the north and west, to Spurn Point in the south and east.
• The Priory was entitled to take the property of criminals in the town, and took a due from the harbour too.









• The Priory was fortified, with 4 gate-houses (the Baylegate is one of these that survived).
• It also possessed:
  • a fine library
  • a treasury
  • a cloister
  • a chapter house
  • a hall
  • an infirmary
• It became the largest and richest Augustinian monastery in the whole of the North of England.









• This all came to an end in 1537/8 when Bridlington Priory was 'dissolved' by King Henry VIII, as part of his policy of 'Dissolution of the Monasteries'.
• Most of the building was destroyed and dismantled - stones from the Priory were used to build Bridlington's piers and harbours, and in the homes and cellars throughout the Old Town.
• The shrine and tomb of St John of Bridlington was burnt publicly in the Market Place.
• All that was left was the nave area, which became the Parish Church of St. Mary - and the Bayle Gate gatehouse (which became a school).
• The people used the nave area for their parish worship for over 300 years. In the 19th Century the people raised money to have their Church completely repaired and refurbished, as it is today.

Bridlington Priory Today

Make a visit to Bridlington Priory part of your trip to the Old Town.

The Priory lies at the eastern end of the Old Town - approach down a tree-lined road, with the Church Green and Baylegate (with museum) in front of the Priory.

You can admire this beautiful building from the outside. It is also open to visitors on Weekdays between 10-12 (accurate at the date of our visit, December 2009).

There is a very active social and religious life centred here, welcome to all.

Bridlington Priory on the Map

Find Bridlington Priory in the Old Town.

Park in the streets nearby, or in the public car park at Market Place/Stepney Grove.

This map is interactive.

• Just use the + and - buttons in the top left corner of the map to zoom in and out.
• Use the arrows to move about the area.

I hope you enjoy your visit to the Priory - I'm sure you'll find it a beautiful and impressive building.

Also in the area:

The Bayle Gate and Museum is located just in front of the Priory.

More about Bridlington Old Town

Places to eat, nearby:

Raffles restaurant in the Old Town

The Friendly Forester Pub on Martongate.

More Bridlington Tourist Information

More about British history in and around Bridlington

Tell us about your visit to the Priory, or anywhere else in Bridlington that you particularly like - share your experiences here...

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