St Nicholas' Priory, The Mint, Exeter
St Nicholas' Priory was re-founded under a charter of William II in 1087. It was granted to Sir Thomas Dennis at the Dissolution. The Hurst family were the occupiers between 1575 and 1602, turning the building into an impressive Elizabethan town house. Between 1820 and 1913 the Priory was owned by the Wilcocks, a family of bankers and merchants. During that time the building was divided into 5 dwellings. Exeter Corporation bought the Priory in 1913 in order to restore it and show its original monastic architecture. It was opened to the public as a small museum three years later.
