146 KELDHOLM PRIORY. 



the Chaplain, had one of 4 per annum ; both of 

 which they enjoyed in A. D, 1553. 



Moniales de Dunn, or Duva, occur in many char- 

 ters in Dodsworth's MSS. ; so called from the river 

 Duna, or Duva, now Dove, on which it was situated. 

 As appears in the quo warranto roll of Edward ]., 

 where these nuns pleaded a grant from king Henry, 

 son to the Conqueror ; and Stephen de Meinill is 

 witness to a deed of Sibill, prioress of this house, as 

 MSS. of Dodesworth ; and Galfred Magister Moni- 

 alum de Duna is one of the witnesses to the agree- 

 ment about Hode, between the canons of Newburgh 

 and Adam Fossard. 



Keldholm Priory, which signifies Springhill Prio- 

 ry, was so called from its being near Keld-head, or 

 Spring-head, and situated on a small eminence. 

 The river Dove, which sinks in its channel a little 

 below Yawdwath, rises, or rather flows from the 

 limestone which forms the bank on the east of the 

 beck, about a quarter of a mile from the site of the 

 priory, in a constant and often rapid current ; so a 

 to drive the machinery of Mr. Fletcher's factory. 

 The priory stood principally on the ground which 

 is now the approach to his house ; into which you 

 enter not far from Keldholm bridge. A few years 

 since, as some workmen were levelling the ground, 

 they dug up several stone coffins, tesselated pave- 

 ment, and fragments of pillars. Mr. Fletcher did 

 not preserve any of the pavement ; but two or three 

 fragments of the pillars are preserved in the north 

 wall of his garden ; which is spacious and laid out 

 with taste. The river Dove runs at the southern 



