Bruton Abbey in Bruton, Somerset was originally founded as a Benedictine priory by Algar, Earl of Cornwall in about 1005. It was subsequently refounded as a house of Augustinian canons in 1135, by William de Mohun, who later became the Earl of Somerset. The village used the north aisle of the priory church as their parish church. It was endowed with manors, churches and other properties in the area and also in Normandy in France.
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In 1260 the priory exchanged its French possessions for land held by the Abbey of Troarn (nr Caen) at Runcton in Sussex and in Gloucestershire. There were many problems reported in the 15th century. John Schoyle became prior in 1419 and was accused in 1423 of having committed serious offences. In 1428 Bishop Stafford seems to have removed Schoyle from office, and in 1429, the latter was sent to live at the house of Augustinian Canons at Poughley in Berkshire. His successor, Richard of Glastonbury, proved to be equally troublesome: in 1430 and again in 1444, inquiries were conducted into charges of immorality against the prior and the whole community. Under a later reforming prior various rules were introduced bans on the canons were sleeping away from the house without permission, on hunting and dice playing, and on women in the monastery.
Bruton became an abbey in 1511. There were problems both inside and outside the monastery leading up to its dissolution in 1539. The abbot, Ely, was the subject of criminal accusations and even plots against his life, and later in the year became a prisoner in the Tower of London.
On dissolution, the abbey was granted to a John Drew of Bristol, but later transferred to Sir Maurice Berkeley. The latter built a house on the site incorporating some of the buildings, but this was demolished in 1786. Sir Maurice was a prominent courtier and his impressive Renaissance-inspired tomb and those of his wives are retained in the later chancel. The present parish church is mainly a 14th-15th century structure. An unusual feature is that the chancel at some point was rebuilt in a light, airy Georgian style, which contrasts rather strangely with the medieval remainder. Some believe the latter was part of the original abbey church, but it is generally thought more likely that that was a separate adjacent building.