In a meadow of forty acres, on the right of the road leading from North Creake to Burnham Market, a house of Austin Canons was founded in 1206, in honour of the Blessed Virgin, by Alice, widow of Sir Robert de Nerford, governor of Dover Castle.
The house had originally been founded as a hospital, during the reign of Henry II (1157-1189) by Sir Robert and Alice, his wife, for the care of the elderly and infirm, dedicated to the honour of St Bartholomew with a master, four chaplains and thirteen poor brethren.
The first master, William de Geyst, a secular priest, soon after its establishment, with the consent of Lady Alice (Sir Robert having died), became an Austin Canon and changed the foundation into a priory of that order, becoming himself the first prior of St. Mary de Pratis by Creake. Geoffrey, Bishop of Ely, nephew of the patroness, consecrated the chapel of the priory in 1221. A bull of Gregory IX (1227-41), ordained that the rule of St. Augustine was to be observed by the canons, and confirmed them in the possession of the great meadow round the monastery.
The site is now in the care of English Heritage and accessible to the public year round, free of charge.
Extract from ”A History of the County of Norfolk” by William Page (1906) with additions by Roger Arguile. See also Cartulary of Creake Abbey by A. L. Bedingfield (Norfolk Records Society 1966).
