Michelham Priory

In the civil parish of Arlington.
In the historic county of Sussex (Modern Authority of East Sussex, 1974 county of East Sussex).

The remains of Augustinian monastery situated on the eastern bank of the River Cuckmere in the Sussex Weald. Michelham Priory, survives in the form of a rectangular, north east-south west aligned moated island of around 6 hectares containing standing buildings, earthworks and associated below ground remains. The priory was founded by Gilbert de Aquila in 1229 and was dissolved in 1536. Access to the island is by way of a stone bridge and barbican gateway over the central part of the north western arm of the moat. The gateway is a square, tower-like building of three storeys constructed of sandstone ashlar. The barbican gateway has been dated to C15.

This site has been described as a;
Fortified Ecclesiastical site.
The confidence that this site is a medieval fortification or palace is Certain.
Major remains.

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law.
This site is a Grade 1 listed building protected by law*. (Images of England number 294964, 294965)

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is TQ55880933

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; 408320

• Web site links
  • http://www.sussexpast.co.uk/property/site.php?site_id=15
    http://www.castles-abbeys.co.uk/Michelham-Priory.html
    http://www.castleuk.net/castle_lists_south/199/michelham.html
• Books
  • Emery, Anthony, 2006, Greater Medieval Houses Vol3 (Cambridge) p309
    Jones, R., 2003, 'Hastings to Herstmonceux: the castles of Sussex' in Rudling, D. (ed) The archaeology of Sussex to AD2000 (Great Dunham: Heritage Marketing and Publications) p171-8
    Salter, Mike, 2000, The Castles of Sussex (Malvern) p53
    King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol2 p476
    Page, Wm (ed), 1973, 'Houses of Augustinian canons: Priory of Michelham' VCH Sussex Vol2 p77-80 http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=36592
    Knowles, David and Hadcock, R Neville, 1971, Medieval religious houses in England and Wales (Longman) p166
    Nairn, Ian and Pevsner, Nikolaus, 1965, The buildings of England: Sussex (Harmondsworth) p568-9
    Salzmann, L.F., 1907, in Page, Wm (ed), VCH Sussex Vol2 p77-80
    Salzmann, L.F., 1901, The History of the Parish of Hailsham, The Abbey of Otham and the Priory of Michelham (Lewes) p198-258
• Journal Articles
  • Woodburn, Bill and Guy, Neil, 2005-6, 'Michelham Priory Gatehouse' Castle Studies Group Journal Vol 19 p63-5
    Hollobone, T., 2002, 'Six Medieval Moated Sites near Arlington, East Sussex' Medieval Settlement Research Group Annual Report Vol17 p31-8
    Stevens, Lawrence and Patricia, 1991, 'Excavations on the South Lawn, Michelham Priory, Sussex, 1971 - 1976' Sussex Archaeological Collections Vol129 p45-80
    Bellam, Jane, 1990, 'Excavations at Michelham Priory, 1988' Sussex Archaeological Collections Vol128 p252-254
    Barton, KJ, 1967, 'Excavations at Michelham Priory' Sussex Archaeological Collections Vol105 p1-12
    Christian, 1960, Country Life Vol127 p740-3
    Godfrey, Walter H, 1926, ' Michelham Priory' Sussex Archaeological Collections Vol67 p1-24
    Cooper, G.M., 1853, 'Some Account of Michelham Priory, in Arlington' Sussex Archaeological Collections Vol6 p129-163
• Guidebooks
  • Bellam, J., 1992 (rev edn), Michelham Priory (Sussex Archaeological Society)