Studley Priory (Horton-cum-Studley)

Studley Priory - roughly 9 miles from Bicester - was founded by Benedictine nuns sometime around 1154, and closed in 1538, during the Dissolution of the Monasteries. The Croke family purchased the estate afterwards, retaining it for around 330 years. During WW2, the Priory was used as a sanitorium for Royal Air Force officers.

From 1947 - 1961, the property was leased by Raymond and Tessa Bawtree, who ran it as a hotel. The Parke family continued to run the business until 2004, after which it became a private residence.

The images below show the Priory as it would have looked c.1640, and again in more recent times.