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Birkenhead Priory was founded about 1150 A.D. as a home for Benedictine Monks. Today, the remains are a green oasis in an industrial desert surrounded by an industrial estate and a shipyard.

On entering the Priory from Priory Street, one passes through the Lobby. To the right is the Guest Hall, originally separated from the Lobby by screens. The main area of the hall is where guests would eat and rest. The far end of the hall was the Monks’ Parlour above which was the Prior’s living and bedrooms.

Exiting the Lobby, on the left, is the Buttery. Here, food was prepared. Above the Buttery was situated a guestroom. Carrying on, straight ahead through the Buttery is the Undercroft. Traditionally used as a cellar, this particular example may have been used as a second dining room. Today, it houses the Priory’s Exhibition Centre.

The Refectory before the addition of the new roof, seen from the Cloister Garden

Above the Undercroft is the Refectory. This is where the Monks ate. There is access to the Undercroft via a small spiral staircase inside the building, in addition to two new external stairways, which were added during restoration to allow access to the Large Hall and function suite.

The third doorway in the Buttery leads to the Cloister Garden. Originally, the Garden was enclosed on all four sides by covered alleyways or Cloisters around it’s perimeter. The alleyways have long since disappeared, as has the Priory Church opposite the Buttery entrance and the Prior’s Chapel on the wall adjacent to the Guest Hall.

The Cloister Garden houses graves of many prominent Birkenhead people including that of John Laird M.P.… founder of the world famous ship yard along with his son William Laird. Their bodies are housed in family tombs.

Opposite the Guest Hall wall is the Chapter House. This building dates from 1150 when the Priory was founded, which makes it the oldest surviving building in Wirral and Merseyside, in addition to being the oldest Priory remains in England.

Originally used as the Monks’ meeting place, today, it is a consecrated Church. Regular services are held here including Weddings. The Alter level floor is made from gravestones, which include those of Thomas Rainford, who was a former Prior and Richard Parry-Price… one of the previous owners.

The original stained glass window over the Alter was replaced by a Ninian Comper window during the 1913 restoration scheme and is dedicated to Robert Sydney Marsden, the chairman of the Restoration Committee at that time. The roof is of quadripartite construction and is as strong as it is beautiful.

Above the Chapter House is the Scriptorium. This structure was built on top of the Chapter House in 1375. Traditionally used by the Monks for reading and writing, it may have also been used as a strong room. In 1996 it became the HMS Conway Chapel dedicated to a naval training ship based for many years on the River Mersey and the sailors who learned and served on her. A new window commissioned by the Old Conways and designed by David Hillhouse was installed at this time. The Chapel is further enhanced by furniture and memorabilia moved from the Conway Centre on Anglesey.

The passageway to the north of the Chapter House was originally the Infirmary. Today, it allows access to St. Mary’s Clock Tower, one of the few intact remains of St. Mary’s Parish Church.

... and in the opposite direction overlooking the Chapter House and Cloister Garden

Housed in the Tower is a clock, completely restored in 1990. The clock can ring the Knox Bell named after Cannon Andrew Knox, the first Vicar of Birkenhead. During restoration of the Tower and the relocation of the Knox Bell adjacent to the clock, it was struck and the sound waves set off burglar alarms on the vehicles in the car park below. On the top of the Tower is a walkway, which allows superb views of the River and surrounding area. Housed in the base of the tower are pleasant modern public conveniences with disabled access.

Adjacent to the Tower are the remaining walls of St. Mary’s Church. The fine stonework tracery and intricate cast iron mullions are of particular interest. The re-inforcing buttresses were added to strengthen the structure in 1978.

There are many buildings and extensions that have been lost during the mists of time. Reference is made to them in the guidebooks and their names conjure up mental images of what they may have been like. Names like the Fratter Range, the Miserycord, the Cloisters and the Dorter Range.

One can only imagine them. But clues are given in the exposed foundations, blocked-up doorways and details in the stonework of adjacent buildings. The illustrations by Edward W Cox, one of the Historians of the Priory, may also help to furnish the missing pieces in the giant jigsaw puzzle of Birkenhead Priory.

1150	Birkenhead Priory was founded by Hamo de Massey of Dunham Massey, near Lymm in Cheshire. It was a home for Benedictine Monks who were “Pious and meritous in duty of true charity to help wayfarers, pilgrims and travellers to the conduct of roads, bridges and ferries.” Hospitality was one of the attributes of the “Black Monks” as they were known. The existence of an important ferry across the River Mersey was most probably the main reason for siting the Priory in this location on a headland jutting out into the River Mersey, covered with birch trees, (hence the name Birkenhead... “Head land of the Birches”) adjacent to Tranmere Pool.
1201	Monks sought and obtained writs of protection from King John stating that they must not be molested or injured in any way.
1207	Liverpool became a Borough with a market outlet for wares and goods.
1250	The original Priory Church was built.
1275	The first and second visits by King Edward the First.
1282	The Priory was forced to provide carts for carrying food to King Edward’s armies who were fighting the Welsh.
1318	First Royal Charter decreed by King Edward the Second allowing the Monks to construct a boarding house for the use of travellers to Liverpool.
1330	Second Royal Charter decreed by King Edward the Third, which allowed the Monks to charge a toll for the ferry to Liverpool.

1346	Monks were granted permission to hold market stalls in Liverpool free of dues or charges in order to raise funds to help travellers who used their facilities.
1348	The “Black Death” reduced the resident Monks from 16 to 5.
1375	The Scriptorium was built on top the Chapter House and the Wirral Peninsula Disafforested (removal of Royal rights to hunting game, deer, etc).
1376	For the next 160 years, the Priory quietly prospered.
1536	Religious Reforms and the Church of England founded by King Henry the Eighth, which lead to the dissolution of the Priory.
1544	The Priory Estate and buildings were bought by Ralph de Worsley of Manchester.
1574	Priory Estate and buildings inherited by Alice Powell… Ralph de Worsley’s daughter. The Priory Church was also dismantled and the stone used for the construction of the Manor House and other buildings.
1630	Thomas Powell, the grandson of Alice Powell, was made a Baronet.
1706	His grandson, also Thomas Powell, died without leaving an heir.
1710	John Cleveland of Leicestershire bought the Estate and Priory. He was a Liverpool Merchant, past Mayor and an M.P.
1716	The Estate and Priory was inherited by John Cleveland’s daughter… Alice Price.
1790	The New Chester Road (A41) constructed.
1801	The Estate now only contains sixteen houses, including the Manor House.
1815	Richard Parry Price rebuilds the Manor House.
1819	Construction commenced on St Mary’s Church, the first Parish Church in Birkenhead.
1820	St Mary’s Church is consecrated.
1824	Remainder of Price Estate (excluding the Priory) is sold to the Township of Birkenhead and Birkenhead Iron Works founded by William Laird in Wallasey Pool.
1839	The Priory Barn is destroyed by gales.
1842	Richard Parry Price sold the ferries to the Township of Birkenhead.
1843	The Manor House (also known as the Farmhouse, Lodging House, Boarding School, Birket House and Birkenhead Hall) was demolished.
1853	Eliza Sitwell inherited the Priory Ruins.
1854	St Mary’s Vicarage built next to the Priory.
1858	Lairds Shipyard relocated to land adjacent to Birkenhead Priory between Monk’s Ferry and Tranmere Pool.
1873	John Laird…founder of the shipyard dies and is buried in a family tomb in St Mary’s Graveyard adjacent to the shipyard.
1889	Cammell Lairds expansion threatens the Priory.
1890	Charles Aldridge and E W Cox launch the Priory restoration appeal.
1896	The £3000 required to purchase the Priory was raised and Birkenhead Corporation was persuaded to take over responsibility of the Priory. Restoration of the Undercroft, Buttery and Guest Hall commenced by W Halsall and Sons, Stone Masons, of Chester under the supervision of E W Cox.
1903	Lairds Shipyard amalgamated with Sheffield based steel manufacturer Charles Cammell Ltd to become Cammell Lairds Co. Ltd.
1913	Restoration of the Scriptorium and Chapter House commenced by Church authorities.
1919	Second Phase of restoration completed.
1920	Installation of Ninian Comper Window in the Chapter House completed.
1941	Scriptorium roof damaged by a German incendiary bomb.
1949	Scriptorium restored for the second time.
1956	Cammell Lairds bought St Mary’s Graveyard and the graves relocated to Flaybrick and Landican Cemeteries.
1957	Construction of new Cammell Lairds Dry-dock commenced on graveyard site.
1957	A system of catacombs are discovered on the dry-dock construction site. They are said to run all the way to Red Noses in New Brighton, Stanlow Priory, Central Birkenhead, and to the small river that ran into the Mersey from the Green Lane area. The two former routes are improbable but the Green Lane tunnel could have existed in which the Monks hid directly after Dissolution in 1536. There is evidence of tunnel remains in central Birkenhead in the railway cutting behind Wirral Metropolitan College's Conway Park Campus.
1973	Phase Three of the Priory restoration project commences.
1974	St. Mary’s Church is demolished leaving only the front wall wings adjacent to the clock tower.
1978	Re-inforcing buttresses constructed to stabilise the remaining wall wings of St Mary’s Church.
1979	Birkenhead Priory is scheduled as an Ancient Monument.
1986	Restoration of Buttery and Undercroft commences.
1989	Restoration of St Mary’s Clock Tower and relocation of the Knox Bell to lower down in the Tower commences.
1990	Restoration of St Mary’s Clock Tower and clock completed.
1993	Restoration of Refectory and Guest Room completed, including construction of new roof, floor, stained glass windows, extra entrances and stairways plus installation of electricity.
1996	HMS Conway Chapel located in the Scriptorium

Although, in theory, the restoration of the Priory is now deemed complete, it could never be fully completed in practice due to the vandalism it has suffered over successive centuries. But what remains is there to be enjoyed by us and by generations to come. It is truly the jewel in Birkenhead’s crown.