Thetford Priory was one of the largest and richest religious foundations in medieval East Anglia.
It was a monastery, the home of a community of men called monks living a religious life in the service of God. Founded in 1103-1104 by Roger Bigod, a close associate of William the Conqueror, the priory was affiliated to the great Benedictine abbey at Cluny in France. It was dissolved in 1540 during the Reformation, and most of its buildings subsequently fell into ruin.
The ruins are laid to grass and a short distance beyond the principal monastic buildings is the great gate of the priory, which is in the grounds of a private house.
Disclaimer
The text and pictures on this page are derived from the 'Heritage Unlocked' series of guidebooks published in 2004. We intend to review, update and enhance the content in the near future as part of the Portico project, whose objective is to provide information on the history, significance, research background and sources for all English Heritage properties.
