Esholt Priory

{{Short description|Former Cistercian priory in West Yorkshire, England, and later Grade II* listed private residence}}

{{Infobox monastery

| name = Esholt Priory

| order = Cistercian

| founder = Simon Warde

| established = 12th Century

| mother = Syningthwaite Priory

| disestablished = 1540

| diocese = Diocese of York

| churches =

| people =

| location = Esholt

| remains = None

| public_access = }}

{{Infobox historic site

| name = Esholt Hall

| image = Samuel Scott - A View of the Estate at Esholt Hall, Yorkshire - Google Art Project.jpg

| caption = 18th century painting of Esholt Hall in the grounds of the former priory

| type = Private Residence

| locmapin =

| map_relief =

| coordinates = {{Coord|53|51|10.6|N|1|42|53.5|W|type:landmark|display=inline, title}}

| location = Esholt, West Yorkshire

| area =

| built = 1706–7

| architect =

| architecture = Queen Anne Style

| governing_body = Privately owned

| designation1 = Grade II* listed building

| designation1_offname = Esholt Priory

| designation1_date = 4 September 1952

| designation1_number = {{NHLE|num=1133190|short=yes}}

| designation2 =

| designation2_offname =

| designation2_date =

| designation2_number =

}}

Esholt Priory was a Cistercian priory in West Yorkshire, England which was sold after the Dissolution of the Monasteries, and the present Grade II* listed Esholt Hall now stands on the site of the priory.{{cite book|last1=Gray|first1=Johnnie|title=Airedale from Goole to Malham|date=1891|publisher=Walker & Laycock|location=Leeds|page=114|url=https://archive.org/stream/throughairedale00spegoog#page/n188/mode/2up|accessdate=30 November 2015}}

Esholt Priory

The priory was built in the twelfth century when Simon Warde granted the estate to the nuns of Syningthwaite Priory, an act that was confirmed by his son in 1172 and also in 1185. The nunnery was dedicated to St Mary and St Leonard and was suppressed in 1540 under the dissolution of the monasteries.{{cite web|title=Esholt Conservation Area Assessment|url=http://www.bradford.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/653072F4-8051-4DDE-B203-ED21F11FB560/0/EsholtConservationAreaAssessment.pdf|website=Bradford Council|accessdate=30 November 2015|page=7|date=June 2002}}

In 1303, the Prioress, Juliana De La Wodehall, tendered her resignation to the bishop over a scandal in which one of the nuns got pregnant. Despite this, the bishop refused to accept her resignation.{{cite web|title=Houses of Cistercian nuns; Priory of Esholt|url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/yorks/vol3/pp161-163|website=British History Online|publisher=Victoria County History|accessdate=30 November 2015|location=London|pages=161–163|date=1974}}

Esholt Hall

On the Dissolution of the Monasteries, the Esholt Priory estate was given to Henry Thompson. Frances Thompson, daughter and heiress of Henry Thompson married Walter Calverley of Calverley, Yorkshire, and their son was Sir Walter Calverley, 1st Baronet who in 1706–7 constructed Esholt Hall on the site of the Nunnery in Queen Anne style.{{cite web|title=Things to do in Esholt West Yorkshire|url=http://www.aboutbritain.com/towns/esholt.asp|website=About Britain|accessdate=30 November 2015}}{{NHLE|num=1133190|desc=Esholt Hall with Terrace and adjoining Conservatory|accessdate=1 September 2019}}

His son, Sir Walter Calverley-Blackett, 2nd Bt, sold it to Robert Stansfield (1727–72) of Bradford, Yorkshire, in 1755. It passed to his niece, Anna Maria Rookes (1762–1819) and her husband Joshua Crompton (1754–1832) whose son was the MP William Crompton-Stansfield (1790–1871). After his death in 1871, the estate was inherited by his nephew General William Henry Crompton-Stansfield (1835–88).{{Cite book|last=Stansfeld|first=J.|url=https://archive.org/details/historyoffamilyo00stan|title=History of the Family of Stansfeld of Stansfield in the Parish of Halifax and its numerous branches|year=1885|location=Leeds|pages=183–246}}

References

Category:Monasteries in West Yorkshire