Bridlington Priory

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; The Bayle Gate; Bridlyngton

In the civil parish of Bridlington.
In the historic county of Yorkshire East Riding (Modern Authority of East Riding of Yorkshire, 1974 county of Humberside).

The Priory of Augustinian Canons, at Bridlington, was founded before 1113-4, and dissolved in 1537. This was one of the largest houses of the order. The priory was fortified or provided with a strongpoint in 1143 but this was seized by William le Gros, Count of Aumale. No remains of these fortifications. The priory was granted a licence to crenellate in 1388, by King Richard II. The large vehicular archway of The Bayle was the priory's main entrance and the interior passage gives access to small wings, both with a garerobe, one being the porter's lodge and the other a prison. Accessed by spiral stairs, is a large first floor chamber, used as the Court of the Priors and although altered and repaired in brick during C17, the gate, still retains its original form and arrangement.

This site has been described as a;
Fortified Ecclesiastical site.
The confidence that this site is a medieval fortification or palace is Certain.
Nothing visible remains.

A Royal licence to crenellate was granted in 1388 May 17.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is TA17696796

Modern Map from Good for landscape form and features	Modern Map from Good for general location
Air Photo from	1st edition OS Map from

Sources of information, references and further reading

PastScape number; 81023

• Web site links
  • http://www.bridlingtonpriory.co.uk/history/
    http://www.castleuk.net/castle_lists_north/101/thebayle.htm
• Books
  • Salter, Mike, 2001, The Castles and Tower Houses of Yorkshire (Malvern) p26
    Ingham, Bernard, 2001, Bernard Ingham's Yorkshire Castles (Dalesman) p132-3
    Emery, Anthony, 1996, Greater Medieval Houses Vol1 (Cambridge) p319
    King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol2 p531, 535
    Allison, K.J. (ed), 1974, VCH York, East Riding Vol2 p45-6
    Renn, D.F., 1973 (2edn), Norman Castles of Britain (John Baker)
    Page, Wm (ed), 1913, VCH York Vol3 p199-205
    Turner, T.H. and Parker, J.H., 1859, Some account of Domestic Architecture in England (Oxford) Vol3 pt2 p420
• Journal Articles
  • Coulson, C., 1982, 'Hierarchism in Conventual Crenellation: An Essay in the Sociology and Metaphysics of Medieval Fortification' Medieval Archaeology Vol26 p69-100
    Clapham, Sir Alfred, 1950, 'Yorkshire churches (Notes)' Archaeological Journal Vol105 p82
    Crossley, E.W., 1910-1911, The Yorkshire Archaeological Journal Vol21 p174
    1821, Archaeologia Vol19 p270
• Primary (Medieval documents or transcriptions of such documents - This section is far from complete and the secondary sources should be consulted for full references.)
  • Calendar of Patent Rolls (1385-89) p439