page_title: Maxstoke Priory
section_title: The Priory today
hierarchical_section_title: Maxstoke Priory / The Priory today
caption_attribution_description: English: Maxstoke Priory farmhouse. Grade II* listed
context_page_description: Maxstoke Priory was an Augustinian priory in Warwickshire, England. The substantial remains are on Historic England's Heritage at Risk Register due to their poor condition.
context_section_description: Much of the priory has disappeared over the centuries since the Dissolution. An engraving made in 1729 by Nathaniel Buck show a nave, transepts and chancel converging on a central tower. Most of these have since collapsed or been demolished. Surviving ruins consist of the central tower and some remains of the walls of the priory church together with two gateways and the west wall of the infirmary.
  The site was excavated during the 1870s and the full plan of the priory was revealed. The church had a cruciform plan with a nave and choir of equal lengths with transepts and a central tower. The cloisters lay to the south of the church and consisted of the usual monastic buildings of chapter house, dormitory and refectory.
  In January 1986 much of the remains of the priory church collapsed. The arch of the south transept was destroyed although its eastern jamb remains. Much of the tower collapsed across the northern side of the nave hiding any remaining extant remains.
  The Outer Gatehouse is of two storeys. The structure is now roofless but all of its walls are in a good structural condition.  The north and south walls are gabled. The north and south arches of the gateway have two chamfered orders. The gateway also has an inner pair of south arches. The western is a pointed doorway while the eastern is a wader gateway. The north compartment has quadripartite vaulting which has chamfered ribs. The south compartment is also vaulted. In the west wall of the south compartment is a pointed doorway which once gave access to a west chamber. The upper floor of the gatehouse is lit by windows of two lights in the northern and southern walls. The northern window is flanked by two niches which once held statues. The window still retains its transom and drip moulds.  On the end of the drip mouldings are two carved heads. One is of a knight with a closed visor while the other is of a monk. It is grade II* listed.
  The Inner Gatehouse dates from the early fourteenth century but now has late sixteenth century alterations. The Prior’s Lodgings were originally located on the first floor of the gatehouse. By the Elizabethan period the gatehouse had been converted into a farmhouse. It is now a bed and breakfast one of whose rooms has painted armorial shields. As Priory Farmhouse it is also grade II* listed.
  The Infirmary stood to the north-east of the priory church. The west wall still survives and dates from the early fourteenth century. It was originally of two storeys and is built of coursed and squared sandstone. The first floor retains a window of two lights which has fragments of reticulated tracery. There are two doorways at ground floor level. One is set in a two centred chamfered arch and the smaller door is set in an arch of three straight sides.
  The Tower retains is north wall almost to its full height. The lower part of the east wall remains along with the chancel arch. Only the stumps of the south and west walls survive. The line of the gable of the chancel roof is visible on the east wall of the tower. The tower stood at the crossing of the priory church. It is an interesting piece of architecture. It is square at its lower levels but continues octagonally by high broaches. The northern and southern arches are rather narrow.
  The Nave has been revealed by excavation to have been aisle less, but nothing can now be seen above ground. The cloisters lay to the north of the nave but, like the nave, nothing now survives above ground.
  The Chancel does not survive above ground. Excavations revealed that like the nave it had no aisles. The eastern end was square. The jamb of a window survives on the eastern side of the north-eastern crossing pier.
  The Inner Precinct Wall survives in part about 100m west of Priory Farmhouse (the former inner gate). It is built of irregularly coursed sandstone and contains the remains of doorways, archways and ogee arches. It may have formed part of the western cloistral range.
  The Granary, with the pool for the watermill lies within the grounds of the Old Rectory. It is now covered with ferns and is said to be
caption: The Inner Gatehouse, now a farmhouse
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