Priory Church of St Peter, Thurgarton

The Priory Church of St Peter, Thurgarton is a former house of Canons Regular or "Black Canons" and now a Church of England church in Thurgarton, Nottinghamshire, England.

They were called "Black Canons" because they wore Black Cassocks, Black Capes and Hoods.

History
It is thought that a priory was built at Thurgarton for its location in circa 1119. It was in a sheltered valley and had a stream and natural spring very near. It also had a good supply of wood and stone for building.

At the Dissolution of the Monasteries the Valor Ecclesiasticus gave the clear income of £259 9s. 4d. , making it one of richer monasteries of the time. King Henry VIII granted the manor partly to Trinity College, Cambridge, and partly to William Cooper. It was lived in by the Cooper family until at the end of the 17th century the estate passed to John Gilbert, who changed name to Cooper as a condition of William Cooper's will.

At the end of the 18th century, the owner demolished the old priory, so that nothing of it was left but the cellars, and one aisle of the old church, plus the tower, which make up the present church. The original building would have rivalled nearby Southwell Minster, having two western towers and a nave of seven bays, cloister and a large chancel, plus the monastic houses. The church was restored in 1853 by Thomas Chambers Hine. Parish registers exist from 1721; earlier records were lost in 1780.

The house that replaced the Priory was used as the Bishop of Southwell's palace whilst a new one was being built next to the Cathedral in Southwell.

List of the priors of Thurgarton

 * Thomas, occurs c. 1190
 * Henry, 1209; occurs 1218
 * William, occurs 1234-1245
 * Richard, occurs 1250-1257
 * Adam, occurs 1263-1276
 * Robert de Baseford, resigned 1284
 * Gilbert de Ponteburg, 1284–1290
 * Alexander de Gedling, 1290–1304
 * John de Ruddeston, 1304–1319
 * John de Hikeling, 1319–1331
 * Robert de Hathern, 1331–1337
 * John de Ruddeston, re-elected 1337-1338
 * Richard de Thurgarton, 1338–1345
 * Robert de Hickling, 1345–1349
 * Robert de Claxton, 1349
 * John de Calveton, died 1381
 * William de Saperton, 1381
 * Walter Hilton died 1396
 * Robert de Wolveden, occurs 1432; resigned 1434
 * Richard Haley, 1434
 * William Bingham, 1471–1477
 * Richard Thurgarton, died 1494
 * John Allestre, 1494
 * John Goverton, 1505
 * John Angear, 1517–1534
 * Thomas Dethick, 1534–1536
 * John Berwick, 1536

Parish status
It is in a joint parish with:
 * St Mary's Church, Bleasby
 * St James' Church, Halloughton
 * St Michael's Church, Hoveringham