Sandwell

No individual entry found for Sandwell in the Domesday survey. The entry for this priory in the Victoria County History (Stafford, vol. , 1970) notes: "Sandwell Priory in West Bromwich was evidently preceded by a hermitage associated with the spring, still in existence, from which the priory took its name. Nothing more, however, is known of this stage of religious life at Sandwell. The founder of the priory was William, son of Guy de Offeni, a principal tenant of Gervase Paynel, lord of Dudley. [...] The date usually given for the foundation is about 1190, [...] but there seems no reason why it could not have been at least ten years earlier. [...] Sandwell was a house of Benedictine monks dedicated to St. Mary Magdalen [...] A survey of Sandwell's possessions in 1526 included the priory buildings which by then were largely ruinous. [...] The chancel was 41 feet long and 18 feet wide, while the nave was 57 × 18 feet with a south aisle 9 feet wide. Between chancel and nave was a 'bellframe', presumably a tower, 18 × 16 feet, on the north side of which were two chapels. [...] The cloister and priory buildings lay north of the church."