Beauvale Charterhouse (also known as Beauvale Priory) was a Carthusian monastery in Beauvale, Nottinghamshire. It is a scheduled ancient monument.

History

It was founded in 1343 by Nicholas de Cantelupe during the reign of Edward III in honour of the Blessed Trinity, for a prior and twelve monks. It was the third of nine houses of the Carthusian order established in England. The two earlier houses were established in Witham Friary and Hinton in Somerset. The others were London Charterhouse, St. Annes near Coventry, Kingston on Hull and Mountgrace in Yorkshire, Eppworth and Shene.

The annual value of this monastery was just under £200, the limit for the suppression of the lesser monasteries; but by paying the heavy fine of £166 13s. 4d. the monks obtained the doubtful privilege of deferring the day of their dissolution. This bargain was effected on 2nd January 1537-8.

The surrender of this house and of all its possessions in the counties of Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire, and Derbyshire, took place on 18th July 1539. It received the signatures of Thomas Woodcock (prior), and of seven other monks, John Langdale, William Welles, Alexander Lowthe, Edmund Garner, Robert Gowton (proctor), Thomas Leyghton, and Thomas Wallis.

John Houghton, and Robert Lawrence were amongst the Carthusian Martyrs executed on 4 May 1535 at Tyburn, London for treason.

List of priors

• William, occurs 1404
• Richard de Burton, occurs 1422, 1426
• Thomas Metheley, occurs 1468
• John Swift, occurs 1478
• Thomas Wydder, occurs 1482
• Nicholas Wartre, occurs 1486
• John Houghton 1531.
• Robert Lawrence , executed 1535.
• Thomas Woodcock, 16 December 1537 - surrender 1539

Remains

Some fragments of stained glass are now in St. Mary's Church, Greasley.

References

Further reading