Durham Priory

Priory of St Cuthbert, Durham

The cloister of Durham Cathedral
Monastery information
Order	Benedictine
Established	1083
Disestablished	1539
Mother house	Independent
Dedicated to	St Cuthbert
Diocese	Durham
Site
Location	Durham, County Durham, England
Visible remains	Intact
Public access	Yes

Durham Priory was a Benedictine priory associated with Durham Cathedral, in Durham in the north-east of England. Its head was the Prior of Durham. It was founded in 1083 and when dissolved in 1540 was succeeded by a chapter of secular canons led by a dean.

Historically, Durham Priory was one of the most important land owners in County Durham along with the Bishop of Durham until the Dissolution of the Monasteries by Henry VIII. Until then, Durham Priory was home to between 50 and 100 Benedictine monks. Durham was the largest and richest of the monasteries associated with Durham; the other cells were in Coldingham Priory (until 1462), Jarrow and Monk Wearmouth, Finchale, Farne, Holy Island, Lythe, Stamford and Durham College, Oxford (after 1381).