Sheen Priory

Sheen Priory was a Carthusian monastery with a church and monks' quarters that stood on the grounds of today's Royal Mid-Surrey Golf Course. The archaeological remains lie beneath one of the fairways, located southwest of Kew Observatory.

King Henry V founded the monastery in 1414 as the House of Jesus of Bethlehem and settled forty Carthusian monks there. The monastery remained until its dissolution by Henry VIII during the English Reformation in the 16th century.

The monastery followed Carthusian traditions where monks lived in separate cells devoted to silence and prayer. This way of life shaped the rhythm of the place, with shared prayer times and strict silence between inhabitants otherwise.

The site is today private golf course land and can only be viewed from outside; public markers indicate the historical location. Those wanting to explore the area can visit nearby Richmond, where information boards and museums document the former monastery's history.

The body of King James IV of Scotland arrived here in 1513 after the Battle of Flodden but was never buried due to his excommunication. This unusual fate of a royal corpse made the place a site of historical tragedy.

Location: London Borough of Richmond upon Thames

Inception: 1414

GPS coordinates: 51.46769,-0.31620

Latest update: December 8, 2025 20:00