The Benedictine Priory of St Mary (Sopwell Priory) and the post-medieval mansions known as Sopwell House or Lee Hall

Scheduled area

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History & significance

Sopwell Priory is a Benedictine nunnery founded in the twelfth century near St Albans in Hertfordshire, established as a daughter house of the nearby cathedral monastery. The priory operated as a significant religious community until its dissolution during the reign of Henry VIII in the sixteenth century. Following the Reformation, the priory buildings were converted into secular residences, latterly known as Sopwell House or Lee Hall, which incorporated surviving medieval fabric within post-medieval mansion structures. The site retains archaeological significance as evidence of monastic life and the transition from religious to domestic occupation in the early modern period.

The Benedictine Priory of St Mary (Sopwell Priory) and the post-medieval mansions known as Sopwell House or Lee Hall is a scheduled monument protected by Historic England under reference 1019137. View the official record →

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