Mount Grace Priory

Mount Grace Priory is the perfect tourist attraction for a relaxing and peaceful day out. Discover how the monks lived 600 years in the reconstructed monk’s cell and herb plot.

Mount Grace Priory is the best preserved of the nine successful Carthusian monasteries, whose monks unlike those of other religious orders lived as hermits, to be founded in medieval England. Founded in 1398 by Thomas de Holland, Duke of Surrey and nephew of Richard II, it was revived after his death by Thomas Beaufort, Duke of Exeter, in 1415. After uncertain beginnings Mount Grace became a substantial religious house, and was one of the last monasteries in Yorkshire to be suppressed, in December 1539.

Visitors can wander around the substantial remains of this medieval ruin, enjoying the peaceful atmosphere and exploring and unusual monastic way of life. Of particular interest is the reconstructed monk’s cell and garden, which highlights the monks’ way of life.

In the 17th century the ruins of its guest house were remodelled as a mansion, which was extended and restored at the turn of the 20th century in Arts and Crafts style. Visitors can enjoy the refurbished Arts & Crafts drawing room, which houses an original William Morris carpet and contemporary furnishings.

The recent opening of the Attic rooms allows visitors to experience the different phases of the building while also get a glimpse into the more recent social history of the property, including the story of Middle Eastern explorer Gertrude Bell.