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IoE Number: 261696
Location: STAVORDALE PRIORY,
  CHARLTON MUSGROVE, SOUTH SOMERSET, SOMERSET
Photographer: N/A
Date Photographed: N/A
Date listed: 24 March 1961
Date of last amendment: 24 March 1961
Grade I

CHARLTON MUSGROVE CP ST73SW BARROW 6/231 Stavordale Priory 24.3.61 Priory Church now a residence. C13 origins converted in 1533. Restored and extended by T E Colcutt 1905. Local stone rubble with Doulting stone dressings; plain clay tile roof - over stone slate base courses to former nave - between coped gables with finials; stone chimney stacks. 2 storeys with 4-bay nave and chancel, added chapel to North East corner; East cloister wing linking to reredorter. South elevation has 3-light C15 traceried window bay 1 with blind panels to bottom; bays 2 and 3 have former side tower arch of C14 now filled with C20 glazing; bay 4 has 2-light window on left, and 8-panel door with pediment holding carved badge: former chancel has the pointed windows partly blocked, with plain cruciform windows to two levels, flat headed below and arched above; simple bell turret crowning coping between nave and chancel. West gable has C14 moulded pointed arched doorway with arched label, square stops; above a 4-light C15 traceried window: the upper part now blind; North wall of nave has shortened C15 traceried windows over flashing cover mould to former cloister roof; most of North chancel wall obscured by additions. East gable has a moulded window recess with C20 6-light window below - upper now rendered panel. In the North East corner the attached side chapel with 3-light C15 traceried window in recess in East wall, the North wall window blocked at two levels as on South elevation. East cloister wing and Reredorter block to North almost totally reshaped in early C20, in quality work, rather plain. Inside the nave mostly a C20 conversion, with no special features ground floor, above ceilings obscure main roof trusses, but upstands and crossbeams to C15 trusses still visible; most of chancel arch still visible; panelled arch with traces of rood loft stairs in North East corner of nave. Chancel converted in C16; lower room has moulded crossbeams to ceiling, also good statue niche in South wall; upper room has good C15 roof frame exposed with moulded crossbeams with bosses, and curved ribs to each rafter and collar. Side chapel still retained as such, and has good fan vault ceiling. Many other fragments, eg piscinae, being uncovered by present owners. C20 work of good quality, with fine joinery. Priory of the Augustinian Order first mentioned in 1243; bell tower existed by l374, church refitted and rebuilt c 1439, chantry of Jesus "recently completed" in 1526: Priory merged with Taunton in 1533 and the buildings became a residence soon afterwards. (Burrow, I and Welsh, D, Research at Stavordale Priory, unpublished SRO, 1981 and 1982).