Mr. Wilson on Brinkhurn Priory. 143 



had enjoyed were bestowed by Edward VI. upon John Dudley, 

 afterwards Duke of Northumberland — better known perhaps as 

 the ambitious and ill-fated father-in-law of Lady Jane Grey. In 

 the short life time of the same monarch, Brinkburn passed into 

 the possession of the martial family of Fenwick of Fenwick. Pro- 

 bably they held it in the first instance by lease, for it has been 

 ascertained that Ambrose Dudley and his co-feoffee, Richard 

 Bowland, sold it, May 26th, 1571, to Sir John Forster, Knight, 

 whose descendant, Edward Forster of Eldford, on the 18th of 

 April, 1626, sold it to George Fenwick of Grey's Inn, London. 

 The supposition that the Fenwicks held Brinkburn by lease, long 

 before the absolute purchase, is founded on the frequent mention 

 of the Fenwicks of Brinkburn, prior to that event. A George 

 Fenwick of Brinkburn was one of the gentlemen of the middle 

 marches as early as 1550. 



The site of the old Priory buildings is occupied by the modern 

 mansion of the present owner of the property, beneath which is a 

 crypt, which once formed part of the ancient edifice. In Grose's 

 time, the Priory had been converted into a farmhouse. In the 

 view of the church, given in his work, we can just discern the 

 Priory buildings depicted in the distance, with the character of 

 their mullioned windows. In most vivid contrast to the disappear- 

 ance of nearly every vestige of the domestic buildings, was the 

 very perfect preservation of the Priory church. The roof and 

 south-west angle alone appear to have suffered at the hands of 

 Time. The disappearance of the greater part of a turret stair, in 

 this fallen angle of the church, has led to a general misunder- 

 standing as to its ancient purpose. It has been erroneously 

 supposed to have led to a guest chamber or other monastic ac- 

 commodation ; when in reaHty it was the access to the triforium. 

 This is certain for two good reasons. First, because there is no 

 other access to the triforium or to the passage in front of the 

 western triplet. Secondly, because there never was an instance 

 in which a church was made a thoroughfare to a guest chamber. 



The plan of the church is cruciform ; having a nave 22 ft. 8 in. 

 wide, and 70 ft. 4 in. long, with a north aisle ; a chancel 37 ft. 9 in. 

 long, and 22 ft. 5 in. wide ; north and south transepts both with 

 aisles ; and a total length including the tower of 130 ft. 10 in. 



At the point of intersection there is a very low square tower ; 

 so low, that it is scarcely visible from the adjacent country. On 

 the exterior of the south side of the nave there is a beautiful arcade 

 of trefoil arches supported on slender shafts, which proclaim the 

 existence of a cloister on this side of the building. The chancel 

 is peculiar. It is lighted by three tiers of triplet windows ; the 

 two lower tiers possessing pointed arches, while the arches on the 

 third tier are round and very plain. The doorways have circular 

 arches. The north-west doorway stands slightly forward siir- 

 mounted by a gable in which is contained three pointed trefoil 

 arches resting on shafts similar in character to those forming part 

 of the decorations of the cloister, but smaller in size. This door- 

 way is richly decorated with Norman ornaments, intermixed with 



