Ancient monastic music to be heard in Exeter’s St Nicholas Priory for the first time in 500 years

For the first time since the days of Henry VIII, medieval monastic music will echo through the Great Hall of St Nicholas Priory, thanks to a remarkable rediscovery by University of Exeter researchers.

The University’s Chapel Choir will perform a newly revived collection of 15th-century plainchant at a special concert next month, bringing back to life music once sung by monks who lived at the priory more than five centuries ago.

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Founded in 1087 by William the Conqueror, St Nicholas Priory housed Benedictine monks for over 400 years before being dissolved during Henry VIII’s Reformation. Now, a rare manuscript known as the “Buckland Book” has revealed a sequence of chants that may not have been heard since 1536.

Professor James Clark, a historian at the University of Exeter, discovered the music while researching Buckland Abbey’s monastic past for the National Trust. “It’s exciting to bring this music back to St Nicholas Priory after 500 years,” he said. 

“It’s likely the first time monastic voices have been heard in this space since the Dissolution, a special moment in the building’s rich history.”

The pieces, dating from around 1450, were used by monks to guide their daily prayers and rituals. They include plainchant melodies expressing fear, hope, and faith, emotions thought to reflect the turbulence of the time, possibly during an outbreak of disease or after the death of a community leader.

Michael Graham, Director of Chapel Music, has worked with students to interpret and perform the rediscovered chants. “We’ve loved exploring this rich vein of choral music and being part of a story that stretches across centuries,” he said.

The performance will take place at St Nicholas Priory on Thursday, 13 November, marking a poignant reunion between Exeter’s ancient architecture and the music it was built to house.