• Horton Priory was built in the 12th century and owned by Henry I before becoming a Cluniac monastery
  • It was taken over by Henry VIII and handed over to Elizabeth I - and now it has gone up for sale for £5.5million
  • The 11-bedroom home is set in 55 acres of grounds including remains dating back to the early Iron Age
These pictures show how a Catholic monastery which was owned by Henry VIII and Elizabeth I has been converted into a luxury home with a £5.5million price tag.
Horton Priory in Ashford, Kent was built in the 12th century - although within its grounds are parts of a settlement dating back as far as the early Iron Age.
The complex was originally owned by King Henry I, but he later handed it over to the Cluniac order of monks to be converted into a medieval priory.
After the dissolution of the monasteries it was seized by Henry VIII, who passed it on to his daughter Elizabeth before the home was given to the Mantell family in 1970.
The Grade I-listed mansion is situated in 55 acres of land, and has undergone a thorough makeover to turn it into a modern home. It now boasts a private cinema, wine cellar, swimming pool, 11 bedrooms and even a driving range.
For sale: Horton Priory, a house in Kent once owned by three different monarchs, is on the market for £5.5million
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For sale: Horton Priory, a house in Kent once owned by three different monarchs, is on the market for £5.5million
Fit for a king: The home, which dates back to the 12th century, still retains much of its pre-modern charm
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Fit for a king: The home, which dates back to the 12th century, still retains much of its pre-modern charm
Comfortable: The interiors of the home are now a far cry from when it was the spartan setting for a Cluniac monastery
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Comfortable: The interiors of the home are now a far cry from when it was the spartan setting for a Cluniac monastery
Great hall: The home is centred around a long gallery which would once have been where the monks took their meals
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Great hall: The home is centred around a long gallery which would once have been where the monks took their meals
Mod cons: Horton Priory has now been redesigned to make it fit for modern living with luxury bathrooms
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Mod cons: Horton Priory has now been redesigned to make it fit for modern living with luxury bathrooms

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Henry VIII
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Grand: The reading room and library of the house, which was once owned by Henry VIII and Elizabeth I before passing into private hands
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Grand: The reading room and library of the house, which was once owned by Henry VIII and Elizabeth I before passing into private hands
Picturesque: The living room of the house looks out onto the grounds, which span 55 acres including a variety of orchards
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Picturesque: The living room of the house looks out onto the grounds, which span 55 acres including a variety of orchards
Pond: A miniature lake with a bird house takes up part of the land surrounding the mansion
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Pond: A miniature lake with a bird house takes up part of the land surrounding the mansion

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Dining room: The house contains an original 14th-century fireplace which would once have been a major focal point for residents
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Dining room: The house contains an original 14th-century fireplace which would once have been a major focal point for residents
Games: One room features a snooker table for the use of the new multi-millionaire owner
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Games: One room features a snooker table for the use of the new multi-millionaire owner
Thirsty: Horton Priory has an air-conditioned wine cellar which has space for hundreds of bottles
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Thirsty: Horton Priory has an air-conditioned wine cellar which has space for hundreds of bottles
Relaxation: A spare bedroom in the house, which has a total of 11 bedrooms and is Grade I-listed
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Relaxation: A spare bedroom in the house, which has a total of 11 bedrooms and is Grade I-listed
Panelling: The living room contains wood panels in the Tudor style of its former royal owners
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Panelling: The living room contains wood panels in the Tudor style of its former royal owners
Austere: This hallway gives an indication of the sparse conditions once endured by the monks at Horton
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Austere: This hallway gives an indication of the sparse conditions once endured by the monks at Horton
Entrance: The gates to Horton Priory, controlled by the Cluniac order of monks before the dissolution of the monasteries
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Entrance: The gates to Horton Priory, controlled by the Cluniac order of monks before the dissolution of the monasteries

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