Lived In A Tomb For Two Years | Bridgetown Priory

Bridgetown Priory was founded sometime after 1202 and before 1216 on land donated to the Augustinians by Alexander fitz Hugh. It was colonized with monks from Newtown Abbey, in County Meath. It was dedicated to Saint Mary of the Bridge. It is likely that around 1219 fitz Hugh’s lands and his patronage of the church passed to the Roches of Castletownroche, through the marriage of Synolda fitz Hugh. The monks owned land on either side of the river, and two timber bridges existed to allow them to cross, neither of which are extant today, though foundation stones are still visible on the south bank of the river. In a Henrician survey, the value of Bridgetown priory was considered to be among the most valuable in the diocese, second only to that of the Cistercian priory at the dissolution of the monasteries by Henry VIII, Bridgetown was officially dissolved between 1540 and dissolution, the monastery was finally suppressed in this point the priory, consisting of &quo