Remains of Edington Priory

Edington Priory stands in the quiet Wiltshire village of Edington, six kilometres east of Westbury. Founded in 1351 by William Edington, Bishop of Winchester, the priory began as a college of chantry priests before becoming a house of the Bonhommes, an Augustinian order. The priory church, consecrated in 1361, still serves as the parish church of Saint Mary, Saint Katharine and All Saints. Remains of a late-Norman church were uncovered during 19th-century restoration, showing earlier worship on the site. The priory’s precinct once included gardens, a fish-pond and a conduit that carried water from Ladywell spring.

The priory is notable for its links to William Edington, who rose from local origins to become Treasurer of England. Eighteen brethren lived here when John de Aylesbury was the first rector, brought from Ashridge Priory. The historian John Rous funded a chantry here and was buried in the south aisle. In 1450, during Jack Cade’s rebellion, Bishop William Ayscough was dragged from the high altar and killed outside. The priory was peacefully dissolved in 1539, and its estates later passed to Sir Thomas Seymour.

Visitors find the Grade I-listed parish church standing at the heart of the remains. Its 14th-century fabric blends decorated and perpendicular styles, with embattled parapets that resemble a fortified mansion. Inside, medieval glass and monuments from the evacuated village of Imber can be seen. The churchyard contains a restored limestone cross, and the tower holds a ring of ten bells. Beyond the church, two walled gardens and a fish-pond mark the former monastic precinct. A cottage built into a surviving wall and a 14th-century conduit head lie a short walk away, offering glimpses of the priory’s layout.