The Gatehouse website record for Gisborough Priory

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Giseburghe; Guisborough; St Mary’s Priory

In the civil parish of Guisborough. In the historic county of Yorkshire North Riding (Modern Authority of Redcar & Cleveland, 1974 county of Cleveland).

Licence to crenelllate reputedly given to enclose and embattle priory in 1376. Jackson writes "This wall and a ditch enclosed about ninety acres, and had two gateways." I can not find this supposed licence enrolled although it it is mentioned (but not referenced) in several sources, including the English Heritage guide book, although sometimes dated 1375. Tellingly the VCH does not mention this supposed licence. The Norman great gate survives, although ruined. This is clearly not defensive and does not have a portcullis or drawbridge, the precinct wall survives only in fragments. This is too long to be defensible. The prior was granted an licence for his mansum of Giseburgh in 1344, but the wording of this suggest a separate building from the Priory which I tentatively identify as a lost house at War Fields (see Gisborough Castle and Priors House). It is just possible the supposed licence of 49 Edward III is a misreading of 18 Edward III.
Note the modern town is spelt Guisborough but the abbey maintains an older spelling Gisborough.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is NZ61691608

Sources of information, references and further reading

This site's English Heritage (PastScape) Defra or Monument number is 283041314510
Further information may be available from the holder of the county Historic Environment Record. In particular 'grey' literature, such as watching brief reports, held by H.E.R.s is often poorly referenced and is unlikely to be recorded in this website, or elsewhere.

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The information on this web page may be derived from information compiled by and/or copyright of English Heritage and other individuals and organisations. All the sources given should be consulted to identify the original copyright holder and permission obtained from them before use of the information on this site for commercial purposes. I do not receive any income from this site and I fund it myself.
The bibliography owes much to various bibliographies produced by John Kenyon for the Council for British Archaeology, the Castle Studies Group and others.
Suggestions for finding online and/or hard copies of bibliographical sources can be seen at this link.

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*The listed building may not be the actual medieval building, but a building on the site of, or incorporating fragments of, the described site.