West View of Lilleshall Priory in Salop

Source: Samuel & Nathaniel Buck, Views of Ruins of Castles & Abbeys in England, Part 2, 1726-1739 (nd), Arts, Languages and Literature, Birmingham Central Library.

Text: Taken from the original source

To the Right Honourable JOHN LEVESON GOWER, Lord Gower , Baron of Stittenham in the County of York, and Baronet.

Proprietor of these Remains.

This Prospect is Humbly Inscribed by;

Y^r: Lordships most Obedient Serv^ts. Sam^l. & Nath^l. Buck.

LILLESHULL or LILLESHAL PRIORY. Here was once a Church built as is suppos’d by Adelfleda a Queen of ye Mercians & dedicated to St. Alcmond a progenitor of ye Family whence King Edgars proceeded, which last nam’d endow’d it with ten Prebends & enlarged it. In K. Stephens Reign Richard Beaumeys (or Belmeis) Dean of it did by ye Kings consent & authority of ye Pope give it to Canons regular of St. Austin who came from St. Peters Dorchester & the Monastery was then founded about the year 1140 to ye honour of St. Mary ever Virgin. Among ye principal Benefactors we find Hillaria de Trussebut & Alan de Zouche, who was Patron of it: but by his Daughter it came to ye Family de Holland. The Laurel Leaves in the Hands of ye two Statues upon ye Gothick Columns at ye Gate, Shew it to have been long in ye Hon^ble. Family of Leveson: which became at length Gower, who now possess it.

Annual Val } £229. 3s. 1d. Dugd’

} 327. 10. 0. Speed

S & N Buck Delin. et. Sculp^t. 1731.