English Place-name Society

Survey of English Place-Names

A county-by-county guide to the linguistic origins of England’s place-names – a project of the English Place-Name Society, founded 1923.

Cranborne Priory

Early-attested site in the Parish of Cranborne

Historical Forms

  • Abbatia Creneburnensis, Ecclesia Sanctae Mariae Creneburnensis, Æcclesiae de Creneburne 1086 DB
  • Sancte Marie et Sancto Petro et Sancto Bartholomeo de Cranb'na 1102 Cecil 14
  • ecclesiam Sanctæ Mariæ de Craneburna 1109 Hutch3
  • the church of St Mary, St Peter and St Bartholomew, Craneburne' 1381 Pat 1408
  • prioratum de Cranburne 1530 Cecil
  • Craneborne Prioratus 1553 ib

Etymology

Cranborne Priory (lost), founded c.930 as a Benedictine abbey, later a priory subject to Tewkesbury; the church of St Mary and St Bartholomew in Cranborne, rebuilt 1252, was formerly attached to the priory: Abbatia Creneburnensis , Ecclesia Sanctae Mariae Creneburnensis , Æcclesiae de Creneburne 1086 DB, Sancte Marie et Sancto Petro et Sancto Bartholomeo de Cranb 'na 1102 (14) Cecil , ecclesiam Sanctæ Mariæ de Craneburna 1109 Hutch3, eccl ' Beate Marie de Craneburne a 1327Cecil , 'the church of St Mary , St Peter and St Bartholomew , Craneburne '1381 (1408) Pat, prioratum de Cranburne 1530Cecil , Craneborne Prioratus 1553ib . On the history of the priory here, v. VCHDo 270–1; according to Hutch3 3 397, the Priory House was pulled down c.1703. The priory buildings formerly stood just S of the church (M.H.). The priory gave name to the manor of Cranborne Priory (v. par. name supra ) and to Priory Copse Close and other f.ns. in Alderholt par. supra .