Breadsall Priory

Breadsall Priory

Breadsall Priory in December 2005
Location within Derbyshire
Monastery information
Full name	The Priory of the Holy Trinity, Breadsall
Other names	Breadsall Park Priory
Order	Augustinian Canons
Established	Before 1266
Disestablished	1536
Dedicated to	The Holy Trinity
Controlled churches	Breadsall, Duffield, Horsley, Mugginton and Windley.
People
Founder(s)	Richard, Henry or Sir Robert Curzon
Site
Coordinates	52°58′07″N 1°26′08″W / 52.96862°N 1.43564°W / 52.96862; -1.43564Coordinates: 52°58′07″N 1°26′08″W / 52.96862°N 1.43564°W / 52.96862; -1.43564
Grid reference	SK380414
Visible remains	A single 13th-century arch remains from the original priory buildings, within the cellars of the later building constructed on the site.

Breadsall Priory is a former Augustinian priory in Derbyshire, situated around two kilometres north of Breadsall, and two kilometers east of Little Eaton. The priory was established before 1266 by a member of the Curzon family. Only a small priory, Breadsall was dissolved in 1536.

Following dissolution the priory was demolished and a private home, also known as Breadsall Priory, built on the site; the house was altered and extended in both the 19th and 20th centuries, and only a single arch remains of the monastic buildings. The house and its stables are both Grade II Listed. The house is currently used as a hotel, while its stables are in residential use.

Breadsall priory was established before the middle of the 13th century by one of three generations of the Curzon family: Richard, Henry or Sir Robert Curzon (grandfather, son and grandson).

Many sources often mistakenly refer to Breadsall as being a house of Augustinian Friars (also known as Friars Eremites), due to a mistake made on a Patent Roll in 1266. Breadsall was in fact home to Augustinian Canons; a fact confirmed by King Henry III's grant of 20 acres of land in Horsley and Horston: Augustinian Friars could not own any land other than what their priory sat upon; Augustinian Canons, however, could freely own land.

Breadsall Priory was very small. Breadsall was usually home to only the prior and two canons, and the taxation roll of 1291 reveals that the priory had an annual income of only £5 19s. However, Breadsall was frequently home to just the prior and one canon, or just the prior alone. The small number of canons made it impossible to elect a prior, meaning one was often chosen by a member of the Curzon family, who served as "hereditary patrons". The Curzon family were Lords of the Manor of Breadsall Overhall for eight generations.

During the reign of King Richard II (1377–1399), the manor passed to the Dethick family, through the marriage of Cecilia Curzon to William Dethick. However, the Dethick family's relationship to the priory was, for a period, unclear. In 1384, the appointment of the prior was made by Sir Thomas Wendesley, who was referred to as Patron pro hac vice. Several other priors were also appointed by the Bishop of Lichfield, rather than the Dethick family. However, in 1456 the bishop confirmed Sir William Dethick's right to "the first licence to elect or provide a superior when the priory was vacant".