NHER 7110 (Monument record) - Site of St Stephen's Priory

Augustinian. Founded as hospital pre 1135; became priory about 1200; dissolved 1537.

June 1959. Listed, Grade II.
Listing Description excerpt:
"Site of a Priory of SS Mary and Stephen, a house of Augustinian Canons founded in 1135 by Roger de St. Martin, of which four canons remained at Dissolution; one hundred metres east of Dereham Road. Flint rubble foundations, otherwise unidentifiable."
Information from (S12).
Please consult the National Heritage List for England (S12) for the current listing details.
Also a Scheduled Monument.
P. Watkins (HES), 27 December 2023.

Abbey Farm, in which the schedule says are remains of domestic buildings, has been completely destroyed 'about 7 years ago' according to a local man.
The site of the church and monastic buildings is marked by prominent earthworks in two pasture fields.
One section of foundations is exposed. Earthworks are in good condition.
E. Rose (NAU) 28 October 1976.

Marked as 'Hempton Bridewell' on (S1).
(S2) marks a windmill here.
E. Rose (NAU)

However Unit aerial photographs taken July 1977 and April 1980 show that the exposed foundations are one compartment at the end of a long very narrow, subdivided building at the head of two watercourses.
The other earthwork seems only drainage or plot divisions and no plan of the church can be made out.
Site of Abbey Farm also visible some distance from narrow building.
E. Rose (NAU) 9 June 1981.

Windmill closed down 1863.
Information from [1].
E. Rose (NAU)

Under healthy grass cover, with minimal poaching by horses around entrance to northwest. Some scrub has been removed, leaving the site relatively free, except for some elder to northeast around and south of site of farm buildings.
Fragments of possible perimeter walling noted in bank to west.
H. Paterson (A&E) December 1992.

November 1994. Earthwork Survey.
Survey at 1:1000.
Finds included medieval floor tile fragments (Flemish) found in area of the two medieval building fragments and iron slag found on crescent shaped platform.
See report (S3) for plan and further details. This site was included in (S4) and the survey is also noted in (S10).
B. Cushion (NLA), December 1994.

1995. Field Observation.
Damage to western precinct wall.
See report (S5) for further details and copy of plan (S11).
B. Cushion (NLA), July 1995.

In 1865 there was a house called Hempton Abbey, suggesting the farmhouse was a more 'statusful' mansion at that time.
See (S6) in file.
E. Rose, 18 July 1995.

Some mole and rabbit disturbance, especially in bank to west. Scrub cut and burned, leaving area of darkened soil towards south end of site. Area fenced off alongside road, where thick scatter of masonry shows area flattened without SMC by Highways Authority, also dump of masonry and earth adjacent.
H. Paterson (NLA), 1 December 1995.

February 1997. Watching Brief.
Observations of new fence to southwest made by NAU.
See report (S7) for further details.

(S8) in file.

April 2012.
Research on documentary sources in progress, identifying the probable location of the church and the precinct boundary which, due to the geographical constraints, is a most unusual shape. The site shares a number of features in common with Bromholm. Further information or publication awaited (S9).
D. Gurney (HES), 12 April 2012.