Brinkburn Priory
Brinkburn Priory, Longframlington, Morpeth NE65 8AR
Brinkburn Priory was founded by William Bertram, Lord of Mitford, in 1135 as a house for
monks from the Augustinian order. It was closed in 1536 with Henry VIII’s ‘Dissolution of the
monasteries’ with which ‘Wolf Hall’ fans might be familiar. Two main buildings from the
original settlement still remain – the church and the manor house.
Begun about 50 years after the Priory’s foundation, the church is the only complete
surviving building of the monastery. The main body of the church has only one aisle, a
common feature in Augustinian priories. The nave (west end) was used as the parish church
for the local people in medieval times. The space would have been bare, as now, with no
pews for the worshippers. The walls would have been plastered and, in parts, decorated
with colourful wall paintings.
The Church
The monastery buildings would have joined on to the church but very few remain. The
original priory would have had a quadrangle, or cloister, surrounded by roofed passageways
that connected the church to the domestic accommodation. Modern paving marks the
position and partial restoration of the cloister alley roof.
Following the dissolution of the Priory in 1536, the monastic buildings were adapted to form
a new building, the manor house. This remained a family home until 1953. Features of the
original monastery can still be seen in its walls.
The Monks
The monks of Brinkburn Priory adopted the Rule of St Augustine of Hippo and were
therefore known as Augustinian canons. (“Hippo” is in present-day Algeria). Like other
orders, the monks shared the common vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. However,
in addition they were priests, tending to the spiritual needs of lay people. It was this role as
priests that meant they were known as canons rather than monks. The Augustinian canons
were known as the Black Canons from the colour of their clothing.
Augustinian communities and monasteries tended to be smaller and less expensive to
maintain than those of other orders. There would probably have been only 12 canons when
Brinkburn Priory was founded, and only a few more during the life of the monastery. Ralph
was the first Prior. Some canons worked as priests, others instructed novices and some
would read, write and study. More senior canons oversaw the administration of the Priory
and its estates, farms and woodland whilst servants and cooks carried out more menial
duties.
OUR GALLERY
