priory at Much Wenlock. A religious building has stood on the site of the priory since the late seventh century. In around 1040 Leofric, the Earl of Mercia, built a Minster on the site and after the Conquest of 1066 monks from a La Charite sur Loire, a daughter house of Cluny, came across and took over the running of the priory. The present priory was constructed at the start of the 1200's and played host to Henry III on several occasions.