Calwich Abbey

Calwich Abbey was in turn the name of a medieval Augustinian priory and two successive country houses built on the same site near Ellastone, Staffordshire.

Calwich Priory

It was founded circa 1130 as a satellite cell of Kenilworth Priory and was dedicated to St Margaret. In 1349 it became independent from Kenilworth with the right to elect its own prior. It was always a small and relatively poor establishment. After the death of the prior in 1530 only one canon remained in residence and in 1532 the house was suppressed and handed over to Rocester Abbey for disposal. By 1543 the property had been acquired by the Fleetwood family, who converted the priory buildings into a dwelling house.^[1]

Calwich Abbey country house

Derelict stable block, Calwich Abbey

The priory site was purchased from the Fleetwoods by Bernard Granville. He built a house there and died childless in 1775, bequeathing the property to his nephew, the Revd John D'Ewes, who assumed the surname Granville on inheriting the estate. He also left the estate in 1826 to a nephew, Court D'Ewes, who similarly adopted the surname Granville.^[2] This house hosted visits by Erasmus Darwin, Anna Seward and the philosopher, Rousseau.^[3]

The estate was then acquired by the Duncombe family, who rebuilt the house in 1849–50 in a Jacobean style by architect William Burn. It was constructed of ashlar with slate roofs in two storeys to an irregular floor plan.^[4]

Much of the house was demolished in 1927. The remaining building, although Grade II listed, is in a derelict state. A fishing temple, built next to the river, survives.

References

v t e Monasteries in Staffordshire Augustinian Baswich Priory Calwich Priory Ranton Priory Rocester Abbey Stafford Friary Stone Priory Priory of St. Thomas nr. Stafford Trentham Priory Benedictine Blithbury Priory Brewood Priory Burton Abbey Canwell Priory Colwich Abbey Farewell Priory Hansury Nunnery Lapley Priory Little Haywood Abbey Oulton Abbey Stone Priory Tutbury Priory Cistercian Cotton Abbey Croxden Abbey Dieulacres Abbey Hulton Abbey Radmore Abbey Cluniac Dudley Priory Dominican Hawkesyard Priory Newcastle-under-Lyme Blackfriars Fransiscan Lichfield Greyfriars Stafford Greyfriars Knights Templar Keele Preceptory

Coordinates: 52°59′12″N 1°48′35″W / 52.9868°N 1.8097°W / 52.9868; -1.8097