St Olave's Priory

Medieval brick undercroft and Augustinian priory ruins in peaceful Norfolk countryside, free to explore year-round.

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St Olave's Priory

A remarkably preserved 14th-century brick-vaulted refectory undercroft belonging to a small Augustinian priory founded in 1216 near Great Yarmouth. This English Heritage site showcases medieval monastic architecture and offers a peaceful rural setting with atmospheric ruins, including fragments of the cloister, church foundations, and historical information boards. Free entry and open year-round during daylight hours.

A brief summary to St Olave's Priory

Beccles Rd, Great Yarmouth, NR31 9HE, GB
+443703331181
Visit website
Duration: 0.33 to 0.75 hours
Free
Outdoor
Mobile reception: 4 out of 5

Local tips

Wear sturdy footwear with good grip; the site features uneven ground, grass pathways, and steep brick steps both down into the undercroft and up onto the roof. In winter, the approach track can become muddy.
Park at the neighbouring Priory Farm Restaurant car park (left-hand side), then walk back to the main road and follow the grass footpath signposted 'St Olave's Priory' for approximately 25 metres to reach the site entrance.
Combine your visit with nearby attractions: Priory Farm Restaurant offers food and llama encounters, while Hillside Animal Sanctuary is also in the vicinity, making for a fuller day out.
Allow 20 to 45 minutes for your visit. Read the historical information boards throughout the grounds to understand the priory's layout, founding, dissolution, and architectural significance.
Dogs on leads are welcome in the grounds; only assistance dogs are permitted inside the refectory undercroft. Check opening hours before visiting, as the site is accessible during daylight hours only.

Getting There

By Car from Great Yarmouth

From Great Yarmouth town centre, take the A143 south-west towards Beccles for approximately 7 miles. The priory is located on Beccles Road near the bridge over the River Waveney. Parking is available at the neighbouring Priory Farm Restaurant car park (left-hand side); from there, walk back to the main road entrance and follow the grass footpath signposted 'St Olave's Priory' for about 25 metres to reach the site. Journey time is approximately 15–20 minutes depending on traffic.
By Train and Walk from Haddiscoe Station

The nearest railway station is Haddiscoe, approximately 1 mile away. From Haddiscoe station, follow local roads or ask for directions to Beccles Road. The walk takes roughly 20–25 minutes. Once on Beccles Road, look for the footpath entrance nearly opposite the junction with Priory Road, which leads directly to the priory grounds.
On Foot from Beccles Road

If arriving on foot from the A143 (Beccles Road), a dedicated footpath leads to the priory entrance nearly opposite the junction with Priory Road. The footpath is clearly marked and takes approximately 10–15 minutes to walk from the main road to the site entrance.
Combination Visit with Priory Farm

Many visitors combine their priory visit with a meal or refreshment at the neighbouring Priory Farm Restaurant, which offers parking, food, and llama encounters. This makes for a more complete outing and allows you to explore both the historical site and the working farm in one visit.

St Olave's Priory location weather suitability

Any Weather
Cold Weather
Mild Temperatures

Discover more about St Olave's Priory

A Medieval Religious Community Dedicated to a Scandinavian Saint

St Olave's Priory was founded around 1216 by Roger Fitz Osbert, a local nobleman, as a home for Augustinian Canons who combined spiritual devotion with service to their community. The priory's dedication to St Olav, the 11th-century king and patron saint of Norway, is unusual for English religious sites and reflects the strong medieval trade and cultural connections between East Anglia and Scandinavia. This distinctive choice reveals the cosmopolitan nature of medieval Norfolk and the far-reaching influence of Scandinavian Christianity across northern Europe.

Architectural Remnants and the Remarkable Undercroft

The most striking feature of St Olave's Priory is its wonderfully complete 14th-century brick-vaulted refectory undercroft, a testament to the skill and resources of medieval craftsmen. Brick construction was rare and expensive during this period, making the undercroft's survival particularly significant. The undercroft later served as a cottage, occupied continuously until 1902, which paradoxically helped preserve this architectural gem. Beyond the undercroft, visitors can trace the priory's layout through surviving fragments: the church foundations to the south consist of five bays from the early 13th century, with a south aisle added in 1300–1310. The cloister remains include early 13th-century brick-faced piers that once supported the roof, with three surviving on the north wall and four on the south. The west wall of the cloister range features an early 14th-century ashlar doorway that would have led to the Prior's lodgings and service rooms.

Dissolution, Transformation, and Preservation

Like countless English monasteries, St Olave's Priory fell victim to Henry VIII's Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1537. Following this upheaval, Sir Henry Jerringham purchased the site and constructed a three-storey mansion north of the cloisters in 1547, incorporating monastic remains into its structure. This mansion was demolished in 1784. Stone from the priory was removed in 1823 for repairs to nearby Herringfleet church, and the refectory undercroft was converted into a residential cottage in 1825, a use it maintained until the early 20th century. Today, the site is carefully managed by English Heritage, allowing visitors to contemplate the layers of history embedded in these ruins.

Exploring the Site and Its Peaceful Setting

The priory occupies a tranquil rural location near the Norfolk Broads, close to the ancient ferry crossing of the River Waveney. The grounds feature uneven surfaces, grass pathways, and low-level wall remains that invite exploration and contemplation. Information boards scattered throughout provide historical context, helping visitors piece together the story of monastic life and the passage of centuries. The compact nature of the site means a visit typically takes 20 to 45 minutes, making it an ideal stop for those exploring the Norfolk countryside or the Broads. The quiet atmosphere and rural surroundings create an immersive experience of medieval religious life, inviting reflection on the devotion and community that once flourished here.

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St Olave's Priory

A brief summary to St Olave's Priory

Local tips

For the on-the-go comforts that matter to you

Getting There

By Car from Great Yarmouth

By Train and Walk from Haddiscoe Station

On Foot from Beccles Road

Combination Visit with Priory Farm

St Olave's Priory location weather suitability

Unlock the Best of St Olave's Priory

Buy tickets

Book tours with entry

Book tours without entry

Discover more about St Olave's Priory

A Medieval Religious Community Dedicated to a Scandinavian Saint

Architectural Remnants and the Remarkable Undercroft

Dissolution, Transformation, and Preservation

Exploring the Site and Its Peaceful Setting

Iconic landmarks you can’t miss

War Memorial

Pudding tower

Potter Heigham bridge

Barton Broad Boardwalk

SOUTHWOLD OLD DRILL HALL

The Broads Authority

Under The Pier Show Southwold Pier

Southwold Pier

Southwold Beach

Southwold Museum

Pull's Ferry

Southwold Lighthouse

Barton House Railway

Cow Tower

Southwold Sailors' Reading Room

Unmissable attractions to see

Cannells By The River

Burgh Castle

RSPB Berney Marshes

Gorleston Beach

Breydon Water

Gorleston-on-Sea Lighthouse

Gorleston

Priory Gardens

The Broads National Park

Carlton & Oulton Marshes

Lowestoft Museum

Nelson's Monument

Stracey Arms Mill Shop & Tea Rooms

Great Yarmouth Pleasure Beach

4D Cinema

Essential places to dine

The Bell Inn

Reedham Ferry Inn

The Queen's Head

Burgh Hall

The Waveney Inn

Muse Restaurant

Joker's Diner

Olive Garden

Crooked Barn

Great Yarmouth Seafront Beefeater

Quayside Plaza

The Courtyard Italian Restaurante

Zaks Yankee Traveller

HMS Hinchinbrook great Yarmouth

Alexandra Restaurant

Markets, malls and hidden boutiques

Reedham Stores

What Is Hip

The Loft Emporium

Picnic Patch

Aurora Gift Store

Vintage Mischief

Ferailles Shop - (Knot Just A Furniture Shop!) - Great Yarmouth

Gift Emporium

Crystal Essence

R&D Crafts

Mermaid Quay

Craftmania