Little survives of Felley: 4 thick semi-circular shafts with water-leaf and similar capitals, now gateposts of the house, and in the house itself old masonry and some mullioned windows (other pieces in garden). The house is extremely pretty with its long rambling front, stone below and brick for the several gables. The gables must be early C.17 but the whole house is kept so well that it now reflects more the modern nostalgia for an idealized past than the dates of its erection. A Barn, also C.17-C18 opposite. (1)

The Priory of St. Mary at Felley was founded by Ralph Brito in 1156, and dissolved in 1536. There was already on the spot some sort of chapel of our Lady, served by a hermit. This chapel recieved an endowment from Ralph in 1151 and was placed under control of the Prior of Worksop, so when the hermitage was replaced by a small house of canons regular in 1156, this became a cell of Worksop. The new priory remained subject to Worksop until 1260 when it became independent. (2)(4)
The community was never numerous and the church probably consisted of nave and chancel only. Existing house on site of W side of cloister, door and some walling probably in original positions. (2) (see (5) for details)
The existing dwelling house almost certainly stands on the site of the buildings ranging along the west side of the cloister, and a good 15th century doorway in its west front is very probably in its original position, as is the case also with some buttresses, and a considerable portion of the lower part of the wall of this front. But the house itself has as a whole, been rebuilt since the dissolution of the priory, and the cloisters, with the other buildings surrounding them, have vanished. The precinct wall, fishponds, and columns possibly from the church survive. (2)

Alternative names: Hermitage of St Helen; The Priory of St Mary of Felley (7)

The house - a private residence - is a two-storied building, with attic gables, largely rebuilt but the centre portion is mainly 15/16thC. The west front is built in ashlar with latticed mullioned windows and a four-centred arched entrance. The entrance and some windows have drip-courses - other windows have been rebuilt. Three gables on this front are of 'Tudor' thin brick and an ornate Tudor chimney is built of diaper brickwork on an ashlar base. The eastern front has five brick gables and a few original mullioned windows. The north and south ends of the house appear to be comparatively modern. Centred at SK 48345130 are two pairs of Norman? semi-circular pillars now forming garden entrances. They appear to be incorporated into original stone walling and, if so, may represent part of the former church. See GPs AO/59/169/1 and 4 - West and east fronts of Felley Priory; AO/59/169/2 and 3 - Pillars in garden walling. It would seem as likely that the present house was formed from the east range of the monastic buildings not from the west. The front, western, garden forms an appropriately-sized square and its western side is slightly raised and uneven. Along this side is a shallow depression and bank but these may be due to quarrying. The eastern garden - centred at SK 48365125 - is bounded on the south and east by a wall, c 1m thick, of irregularly-coursed, thin stone, averaging over 2m. high. At regular intervals, on the outside face, are two-stage buttresses of worked, coursed stone. At SK 4855122 and SK 48415128 are probably original entrances with chamfered, rebated jambs, the southern having a large lintel. In this garden are the remains of a large arch, with ornately- moulded voussoirs, laid on the ground together with a small capital. (8)
On the east side of the priory, in a forking of the stream-valley, centred at SK 48495134, are the remains of a series of fish-ponds with earthen pond-bays. The southernmost has a stone revetment wall and has been a swimming pool - it is now dry. At SK 48395132 is a two-storied, rectangular building, of thin brick having a central, two-stoned porch with dormer-gable and four-centred brick-arched entrance. The windows are casements. It is divided into two houses and is prob. mid 17thC. At SK 48285134 is the 17-18th C barn mentioned by Authy. 2. It is built of brick opon a stone plinth with an ornamental blocked door and mullioned windows at its est end. The roof is tiled. A 25" AM survey has been made. (8)

See M8882, M8883, M8289 and M2419 for associated monuments.

Data Held (Document). SNT2647.

OS card, Parish File

Data Held: Aerial Photograph (Aerial photograph). SNT2645.

CUCAP EF87

Dr. Thomas Tanner, 1787, Notitia monastica; or, an account of all the abbies, priories, and houses of friers, formerly in England and Wales. And also of all the colleges and hospitals founded before A.D. MDXL (Published document). SNT6195.

Dugdale W, 1817-1830, Monasticum Anglicanum (Published document). SNT147.

John Compton Dickinson, 1950, The origins of the Austin canons and their introduction into England (Published document). SNT6196.

Peverel Archaeology Group, 1953, Ann Rept 5, p. 27 (Published document). SNT1123.

<0> Thoroton Society, 1975, TTS, p 50-7 (Published document). SNT388.

<1> Pevsner N, 1951, The Buildings of England: Nottinghamshire, p 69 (Monograph). SNT49.

<2> Thoroton Society, 1912, TTS, pp 6-11 (Published document). SNT338.

<3> Knowles D and Hadcock N, 1953, Medieval Religious Houses, p 137 (Published document). SNT869.

<4> VCH, 1910, Notts, pp 109-12 (Published document). SNT1384.

<5> Woodhouse WC, 1959, Pers Comm (Personal comment). SNT1437.

<6> Historic England, 2021, National Record of Historic Environment (Digital archive). SNT5271.

<7> R.M. Clay, 1914, Hermits and Anchorites of England, p.240 (Published document). SNT6193.

<8> Colquhoun FD, 1974, Pers Comm (Personal comment). SNT582.