Mount Grace Priory

Mount Grace Priory is a medieval Carthusian monastery in East Harlsey with stone walls, individual monk cells, a church, and garden spaces on its grounds. The buildings still show the characteristic layout that allowed monks to live completely separate from one another.

Thomas Holland, 1st Duke of Surrey and half-brother of King Richard II, founded the monastery in 1398 as the last Carthusian house ever built in Yorkshire. It served as a center for contemplative life until its dissolution under Henry VIII.

The monks followed Carthusian rules living in complete isolation, each in their own cell, devoted to silent prayer without contact with others. This way of life shaped how the whole place was designed, with solitude and inner contemplation at its core.

The site is managed by English Heritage and allows visitors to explore the ruins, read information boards, and walk through the layout of the cells and monastery grounds. It helps to spend enough time wandering slowly through the different areas to notice details in the stonework and how spaces connect.

The reconstructed monk cells show a clever medieval heating system using underground channels that distributed warmth beneath the floors. This engineering reveals that even with their strict rules, the monks still had practical comfort during cold winters.

Location: East Harlsey

Inception: 14 century

Website: https://english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/mount-grace-priory

GPS coordinates: 54.38020,-1.31047

Latest update: December 8, 2025 19:57