Combwell Priory

Combwell Priory was a priory near Bedgebury Cross about 10 miles southeast of Tunbridge Wells in Kent, England.

Combwell Priory, 1809

History

This is a Grade II listed building.^[1] It was founded as a Premonstratensian abbey by Robert de Thurnham in the reign of Henry II but became an Augustinian priory in 1220.^[1] It was suppressed in the dissolution of the monasteries and on 20 November 1537 was granted to Thomas Culpeper,^[1][2] becoming the mansion house of branches of the Culpepper and later Campion families. After 1657 little remained of either the abbey or the later house.^[1] Nothing of the original building remains standing although the current private home was built using some of the original building materials.^[1]

Priors of Combwell

• Richard Netter (1424)^[3]
• Henry (1460).^[4]

Burials

• Stephen Thurnham
• Robert of Thornham, founder of this Priory/Abbey and father of Stephen Thurnham and of Robert of Thornham