Blyth, Nottinghamshire

infobox UK place
country = England
latitude= 53.3771
longitude= -1.0618
map_type = Nottinghamshire
official_name= Blyth
population=
shire_district= Bassetlaw
region= East Midlands
shire_county= Nottinghamshire
constituency_westminster= Bassetlaw
post_town= WORKSOP
postcode_district = S80
postcode_area= S
dial_code= 01909
os_grid_reference=

Blyth is a village in the county of Nottinghamshire, in the Midlands of England, north west of East Retford, on the River Ryton.

Blyth Priory

The priory church of St. Mary and St. Martin is one of the oldest examples of Norman architecture in the country. It was part of a Benedictine monastery founded in 1088. This priory was founded by Roger de Builli of Tickhill Castle, one of William the Conqueror's followers.

The founder and later benefactors endowed Blyth with lands, money and churches. It was staffed at first by monks from the Mother House, Holy Trinity Priory at Rouen France. In 1286 Thomas Russel had to be returned to Rouen because of his intolerable conduct and also John de Belleville, as the climate did not suit him. There are other records of the unruly conduct of French monks.

During a visitation of the priory in 1536 it was alleged that five of the monks were guilty of grave offences and it was surrendered. George Dalton, the Prior, received a pension of twenty marks, and this seems to have been the only pension awarded. The net annual income at the date of the surrender was £180.

After the Dissolution the east part of the church was demolished and a tower built at the west end of the nave.

Blyth Hall

Blyth Hall was built in 1684-85 at the eastern end of the church and was demolished in 1972.

On the village green is the former Leper Hospital of St John the Evangelist, said to have been built by the Knights Hospitaller of St. John of Jerusalem. It was refounded in 1226, and was being used as a school in 1695. [Pevsner, Nikolaus. 1979. "The Buildings of England:Nottinghamshire".Harmondsworth, Middx. Penguin.]

References