Nestling rather incongruously in a housing estate, the ruins of this Priory are presented without labels and histories, leaving the visitor to fall back on any previous visits to or knowledge of the layout of other abbeys or priories. Although daunting at first, if taken as a challenge, this can be most enjoyable. We were the only people there on a Sunday afternoon and scrambled about happily deciding which rectangles of stone were the kitchen, the chapter house and finally the church. This last bit was easy as the remains of some columns and carved, high status doorways and windows as well as the cruciform shape were apparent. Also, several stone coffins had been excavated, presumably for the more important burials, as the majority of the monks would be buried further from the church. What we found particularly fascinating though (what does this say about us?) was the exposed drainage system, which was very extensive. From this evidence we sited the kitchen, the rubbish chutes, the external walls and the probability of running water through the site when it was in use. A system of sluice gates also remains. What seemed at first a disappointingly bare site turned out to be the subject of heated discussion and detective work – never mind if our conclusions were probable inaccurate, we very much enjoyed Monk Bretton Priory.

Now for some actual history. The monastery of St Mary Magdalen was founded here c1154 by Adam Fitswane for Cluniac monks. It became a Benedictine community in 1281 following a disagreement and remained so until the dissolution of the monasteries under Henry VIII in 1538. Surviving documents reveal that it was taken over peacefully and that the contents put up for sale, including books (the prior and two monks bought 148), cattle, jewels and plate, the lead from the roof, the bells and even the pillars and arches of the north aisle of the nave were used to enlarge Wentworth church, a few miles to the south.

A two-storied building survives to the north of the remains of the church. This dates from the late thirteenth or early fourteenth century and was possibly an administrative building with the first floor serving as a manorial courtroom. The stone coffins sited in front of the original high altar may be those of the founder and his wife, Matilda. Parts of a fourteenth century guest house also remain.