Wallingwells, house of Benedictine nuns. Priory was founded in the time of Stephen 1135-54 and was dissolved in 1539 (prioress and 8 nuns pensioned). Net income in 1535 £58. (2)
Walls (of old nunnery) still remain to form part of the present house. (3)
The later history of the house has been imperfectly published. The site had no permanent owner until its purchase by the Taylors in Charles I's reign and from them it passed in 1698 to the Whites who lived there for more than 200 years. In about 1828 great alterations were made to the house. Mr Bramley states: "there are no visible remains of church or convent", whilst Miss White says: "several of the original walls of the nunnery, of great thickness, remain incorporated in the present mansion". This latter statement seems more likely since the plan of 1682 is more suggestive of a monastic quadrangle than is the present remoulded lay-out. (7)
Several of the original walls of the nunnery remain and are incorporated in the present mansion, notably those now of the dining hall and drawing room, which are of immense thickness. Through all the changes, though the building has been reduced in size and the moat and courtyard taken away, the recess to the W has never undergone alteration. (4)
The house is a modern structure built out of the remains of the priory. In 1829 some stone coffins were found: one contained the remains of Dame Margery Dourant, the second prioress, who died in Richard I's reign. A silver chalice and shoes, which were found quite perfect, were re-interred with her. (5)
The "walls of great thickness" referred to above as those of the former nunnery are probably incorporated in the late C18 fabric where walling over 3ft thick (but without other architectural detail) is traceable. No certain evidence of the moat survives but its course may be indicated by a vague depression E and the fishpond to the NW of the house. (6)

Surveyed Oct 19 1959 by Ordnance Survey: "Wallingwells (name confirmed by residents) is a large mansion now divided into flats. It comprises a main block of the late 18thc. to which an E front is pseudo - 17thc. style was added in the early 19thc. The 'walls of great thickness' referred to by the preceding authorities as those of the former nunnery, are probably incorporated in the late 18thc. fabric where walling over 3ft thick (but without other architectural detail) is traceable (for approx extent see 25" AM). No certain evidence of the moat survives but its course may be indicated by a vague depression E and the fish-pond to the NW of the house. Survey carried out" (10)

NB "Moat " is a C17 canal, though possibly on line of precinct boundary / current parish boundary.
History of the priory (9)
See M8741 for P Med house, M4942 for fishponds to S.

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

CUCAP DW29

<1> CUCAP, Air photos (Aerial photograph). SNT594.

Other Refs: DW 29

<2> Knowles D and Hadcock N, 1953, Medieval Religious Houses, p 220 (Published document). SNT869.

<3> Jacks L, 1881, The Great Houses of Notts, pp 151-6 (Published document). SNT827.

<4> White MT, 1886, Memoirs of the house of White of Wallingwells, pp 75-8 (Published document). SNT1412.

<5> Eddison E, 1854, History of Worksop, p 226 (Published document). SNT663.

<6> Clarke A, 1959, Pers Comm (Personal comment). SNT561.

<7> Peverel Archaeology Group, 1953, Ann Rept 5 (Published document). SNT1123.

<8> Historic England, 2021, National Record of Historic Environment (Digital archive). SNT5271.

<9> Marcombe D and Hamilton J (eds), 1998, Sanctity and Scandal: The Medieval Religious Houses of Nottinghamshire (Published document). SNT6429.

<10> Clarke A, 1959, Pers Comm (Personal comment). SNT561.

<11> Bramley J, 1948, Short History of Religious Houses in Notts (Published document). SNT517.