Things To See and Do
Chapter House
Discover the Norman chapter house at Wenlock Priory, built around 1140 as the 'business' centre of the monastery. It's here that the monks and the prior met each morning to discuss affairs, and administer punishments for disobedience.
Today, you can still see much of the chapter house's elaborate stone carving, with interlocking round arches on multiple carved columns.
Don't miss the grotesque head, humorously carved in the lintel of the doorway.
Cloister Garden
Take time to enjoy the peace and tranquillity of the topiary-filled cloister garden.
This cloister garden is set against the backdrop of the complete infirmary wing, converted into a mansion after the priory's dissolution. It's still a private residence today.
Look out for the unusual octagonal lavabo, the huge water vessel built around 1220 and used by monks to wash their hands before eating in the nearby refectory.
Embellished with 12th-century carvings, depicting Christ and the apostles, free-standing lavabos of this kind are rarely seen in the United Kingdom.
Medieval Tiles
Visit the priory's library and discover the locally-made medieval floor tiles.
These tiles have been carefully re-laid to give an impression of how they would have originally appeared.
Notice the difference in the three doorways of the library. The central archway was the original entrance; the other two were added after the Dissolution of the Monasteries, when the priory was used as a farm.