The Priory of the Nativity of the

Blessed Virgin Mary Mary was a first-century Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Saint Joseph, Joseph and the mother of Jesus. She is an important figure of Christianity, venerated under titles of Mary, mother of Jesus, various titles such as Perpetual virginity ...

, commonly known as Easebourne Priory, was founded as a

monastery A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of Monasticism, monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in Cenobitic monasticism, communities or alone (hermits). A monastery generally includes a ...

canonesses regular A canoness is a member of a religious community of women, historically a stable community dedicated to the celebration of the Liturgy of the Hours in a particular church. The name corresponds to a canon, the male equivalent, and both roles share a ...

in the 13th-century in

Easebourne Easebourne () is a village, Anglican parish and civil parish in the Chichester District of West Sussex, England. It is half a mile (0.8 km) north of Midhurst, across the River Rother on the A272 and A286 roads. The parish includes the h ...

West Sussex West Sussex is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Surrey to the north, East Sussex to the east, the English Channel to the south, and Hampshire to the west. The largest settlement is Cr ...

, England. It was closed in the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1536. The priory was built for an Augustinian community consisting of a prioress and ten canonesses. It was founded before 1238 by the de Bohun family of St. Ann's Hill in nearby

Midhurst Midhurst () is a market town and civil parish in the Chichester District in West Sussex, England. It lies on the River Rother (Western), River Rother, inland from the English Channel and north of Chichester. The name Midhurst was first reco ...

, probably by John de Bohun who fought at Crecy. It may have been refounded in the 15th century and became

Benedictine The Benedictines, officially the Order of Saint Benedict (, abbreviated as O.S.B. or OSB), are a mainly contemplative monastic order of the Catholic Church for men and for women who follow the Rule of Saint Benedict. Initiated in 529, th ...

. In 1536, following the Dissolution of the Monasteries, Easebourne Priory was granted to

William FitzWilliam, 1st Earl of Southampton William FitzWilliam, 1st Earl of Southampton, Knight of the Garter, KG ( – 15 October 1542) was an English courtier and soldier. He was the third son of Sir Thomas FitzWilliam of Aldwark and Lady Lucy Neville, daughter of John Neville, 1st M ...

, along with other properties, Claustral remains are now incorporated into a Grade I listed house built on the south side of St Mary's church. The restored

refectory A refectory (also frater, frater house, fratery) is a dining room, especially in monastery, monasteries, boarding schools and academic institutions. One of the places the term is most often used today is in graduate seminary, seminaries. The name ...

is now in parochial use. Easebourne Priory Refectory DSC 2056

Elizabeth I at Easebourne

Elizabeth I of England Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was Queen of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. She was the last and longest reigning monarch of the House of Tudor. Her eventful reign, and its effect on history ...

came to the Priory on 17 August 1591 from

Cowdray House Cowdray House consists of the ruins of one of England's great Tudor houses, architecturally comparable to many of the great palaces and country houses of that time. It is situated in the parish of Easebourne, just east of Midhurst, West Sussex ...

, as the guest of

Anthony Browne, 1st Viscount Montagu Anthony Browne, 1st Viscount Montagu, Order of the Bath, KB, Privy Council of England, PC (29 November 1528 – 19 October 1592) was an English peerage of England, peer during the Tudor period. He was a staunch Roman Catholic, but unswervingly l ...

, "where my lord himselfe kept house", and left on 20 August. An actor playing the part of a pilgrim led her to an oak tree where the heraldry of all the county was displayed, and a "wild man" dressed in ivy explained their loyalty to her. The next day, at a fishpond an actor dressed as an angler spoke with a "fisherman", then addressed the queen on the subject of loyalty The speeches and entertainments were printed later in the year.''The Speeches and Honourable Entertainment Given to the Queenes Majestie in Progresse, at Cowdrey in Sussex, by the Right Honourable the Lord Montacute, 1591'' (London, 1591).

References

Grade I listed buildings in West Sussex Monasteries in West Sussex {{England-hist-stub