Holywell Priory

You are standing near the site of the former Holywell Priory, an Augustinian nunnery founded in the twelfth century. The priory was built around a natural spring that had been considered sacred for over a thousand years, dating back to Roman times. This spring gave the site its name, as holy well eventually became Holywell. For centuries, this area was a quiet, enclosed space of prayer and contemplation for women dedicated to the order of Saint Augustine.