Editing Blyth, Nottinghamshire (section)

===Blyth Priory===
{{For|main article|Blyth Priory}}
The [[priory]] church of St. Mary and St. Martin is one of the oldest examples of [[Norman architecture]] in the country. It was part of a [[Benedictine]] [[monastery]] founded in 1088. This priory was founded by [[Roger de Busli|Roger de Builli]] of Tickhill Castle, one of William the Conqueror's followers.

[[File:Blyth Church - geograph.org.uk - 53326.jpg|thumb|St Mary and St Martin’s Church, Blyth.]]

The founder and later benefactors endowed Blyth with lands, money and churches. It was staffed at first by monks from the Mother House, Holy Trinity Priory at [[Rouen]] France. In 1286 Thomas Russel had to be returned to Rouen because of his intolerable conduct and also John de Belleville, as the climate did not suit him. There are other records of the unruly conduct of French monks.

During a visitation of the priory in 1536 it was alleged that five of the monks were guilty of grave offences and it was surrendered. George Dalton, the Prior, received a pension of twenty marks, and this seems to have been the only pension awarded. The net annual income at the date of the surrender was £180. (equivalent to £{{formatnum:{{Inflation|UK|180|1536|r=-4}}}} in {{Inflation-year|UK}}).{{Inflation-fn|UK|df=y}}

After the Dissolution the east part of the church was demolished and a tower built at the west end of the nave.

See [[St Mary and St Martin's Church, Blyth]] for more information.