Finchale Priory, 1892

Photo ref: 30724

More about this scene

The history of Finchale began in about 1115 when St Godric built himself a hermitage. In about 1150 a chapel dedicated to St John Baptist was added, and on the death of Godric in 1170 at the ripe old age of 105, the site was acquired by the Benedictines of Durham Priory. Before the end of the century Finchale had become a dependent house of about nine or ten monks. A large amount of building work was undertaken during the 13th and 14th centuries, and it appears that Finchale was used as a holiday centre by the monks of Durham. It was dissolved in 1538.