Wilmington Priory.

This is from an old quide published by Sussex Archaeological Society 1961.

WILMINGTON PRIORY was formerly one of the possessions
of the Benedictine Abbey of Grestain in Normandy. This Abbey was founded in 1050 by Herluin de Conteville, whose son, Robert de Mortain, accompanied his half-brother, William the Con¬queror, to England, and received from him the Rape of Pevensey. Robert was a liberal benefactor to his father's foundation and amongst his gifts to the Abbey was, as appears from Domesday Book, 1086, the Manor of Wilmington. From its convenient situatjon near the sea, this soon became the headquarters for the Abbot of Grestain's representative in England. The first Prior of Wilmington whose name we know was John who is mentioned in a deed of 1243 in connection with the purchase of lands in Westham. In all probability there were only two Monks normally resident in England and they and their household would live at the Priory, going on journeys from there to inspect the Abbot's other properties. During the wars with France in the 13th and 14th centuries, the King took possession of all alien Priories. He used Wilmington as a source of revenue, letting it to the highest bidder. The object of these lay owners was to get money out of the Priory lands, and naturally, they were apt to let the buildings fall into disrepair. Walter Brystowe was the last Prior; he took the oath of obedience to the Bishop of Chichester in 1401. In 1413 the Priory and lands were granted to the Dean and Chapter of Chichester, and remained in their hands for 150 years. Towards the end of this period (1541) we find that the Vicarage house of Wilmington was in a portion of the old build¬ings. In 1565 Wilmington passed to Sir Richard Sackville and was later let to Thomas Culpepper, who, with his widow and nephew, is buried in the Church. In 1635 another house was built for the Vicar. About 1700 the Wilmington estates passed to Spencer Compton, afterwards Earl of Wilmington, and then by marriage to the Cavendish family. During this time the farmer lived in the Priory buildings. The Duke of Devonshire sold the farm to Co!. R. V. Gwynne and in 1925 conveyed the Priory to the Sussex Archreological Trust, which, under the guidance of Mr. Walter Godfrey, C.B.E., F.S.A., laid out a large sum upon it in necessary preservation work.

From this account of the history of the Priory, it will be seen that the building was planned more like a Manor House than the usual Monastery. But it must be considered as forming one structure with the Church, to which it was connected by the South Aisle of the latter. The 12th century Chancel of unusual length was no doubt the Monks' Quire, while the nave was in use for parochial worship. No part of the 12th century domestic buildings has come• to light, but portions remain of what was probably the Great Hall built in the 13th century (see plan).
After passing through the arched doorway, on the far side of the front lawn (tickets being obtained at the custodian's door immedi¬ately to the left) we turn right through the Well House Court to the North-East Wing, which is now a roofless building but originally of two storeys, with a vault below. The vault is now entered by a doorway leading from the front lawn. This vault, which dates from c. 1300, is larger than the superstructure, which was built a century later, and may have supported the solar of the early house. Notice in the vault the old doorway, with holes for an internal bar. This was probably the way by which stores were brought in. High up in the vault there are three windows which have recesses for shutters. In the room over the vault there are window openings in both the east and west walls and also the remains of a 14th century doorway, which possibly led to a cloister connected with the Church. Against the north wall is the oven of the farmhouse.
The Well House Court was the outer kitchen of the old farm¬house. This Court occupies part of the old Hall and may have been divided off from it when the 14th century Hall was built. It was originally roofed with great oak beams carried on the existing triple stone wall shafts with 14th century capitals. A section of the wall post of one timber truss remains. There is an oak doorway in the south wall. This room was probably the kitchen of the Vicarage built by the Dean and Chapter before 1541.
Retracing our steps and turning right at the custodian's door we pass a timber supported undercroft. On the left is the main entrance doorway of the Hall that consists of three beautifully moulded orders, supported by three shafts on each side and is of 13th century (Early English) work. Adjoining it to the south, is a fine Gatehouse' Of' Porch of two storeys, which is clearly of later date than the doorway, as its vaulting ribs and walls completely disregard the position of the doorway and the windows. There is a similar clash between the outer doorway and the vault, and it may be that there was an earlier porch here contemporary with the doorway and

windows of the old Hall and that it was enlarged when the new Hall was built. The west wall of this room has been largely rebuilt and a chimney inserted. There is, however, in it the reveal of a window with holes for iron bars, which probably represents a hatch com¬municating with the west building. Note the 14th century corbels with heads of monks carved on them.
Leaving the Gatehouse and turning round the left hand comer, we come to the Undercroft of the new Hall built in the 14th century. The Hall was situated on the first floor with rooms below but only the south end and part of the east wall remain. There is a doorway on the east side which seems to have led into the old Hall. In the turrets of, the south wall are spiral staircases. The principal staircase, which was probably at the kitchen end, has disappeared. Stone seats can be seen on either side of the large window, which shows signs of having been altered in the time when the Dean and Chapter had possession. The Tudor bricks used in the western turret show that they did repairs here.
East of the Gatehouse the space between it and the east wing was enclosed on the south perhaps as early as 1500. The south wall of the old Hall seems to have been partly rebuilt in the 14th century and at its east end is a door jamb which was either the entrance to a ground-floor room or to a staircase. The fellow of this jamb has been refixed to form part of the open fireplace in the 16th century kitchen which used to be here. A fine oak chimney beam goes right across it. This kitchen and the room over it are mentioned in Mrs. Culpepper's will, dated 1606.
Passing through a door in the east wall, we enter the inhabited part of the house, where there is an 18th century staircase with a curious balustrade of a Chinese interlacing pattern. This leads to a landing where the rear arch of a 14th century window may be seen with one jamb beside it and also part of the arch of a doorway. This door seems to have led to a gallery running to the east wall of the Prior's Chapel, where is the lower part of the north jamb of a door, or they may both be the doors of separate staircases. Notice the 14th century king-post similar to the one in the Church; it may be seen from the Prior's Chapel, by switching on the light by the entrance to the Museum Room.
Entering the Museum Room notice a large chimney stack inserted in the west wall with an iron wheel fixed to it for turning a spit. Going up some steps we come to the room in the upper storey of the porch which was probably the Prior's Chapel. Here is the greater part of a 14th century three-light east window. There Was at one time an entrance to this Chapel in its west wall leading from the new Hall, but the communicating door has disappeared.