The Blessing of the Chalice: 800-year-old chalice returns to Monk Bretton Priory

During Heritage Month, the Bishop of Wakefield, the Right Reverend Malcolm Chamberlain, will visit Monk Bretton Priory to celebrate the history of this ancient site with the blessing of a holy chalice. The remains of the original 13th century chalice, excavated from a Prior’s grave in 1923, can be seen in Experience Barnsley Museum.

During the event, the bishop will give back an exact pewter replica of the original chalice to the Friends of Monk Bretton Priory and to English Heritage, the custodians of the site. The blessing will be accompanied by choral singers and medieval minstrels.

Monk Bretton Priory was founded in 1154 by a Cluniac order of monks. In 1923, more than 100 years ago, the remains of a pewter chalice were found during excavations in the Priory’s north transept. The site’s owner at the time, John Vincent Horne, uncovered a medieval grave slab engraved with a chalice. Around two feet below it, he found the remains of a male skeleton holding the chalice in his hands. A burial with a chalice in such a prominent part of the Priory suggests this may have been the grave of the Prior.

In 1925, the chalice was taken to Wakefield Cathedral as a holy relic. Over the years, the fragile pewter decayed and was damaged during an attempted robbery. In 1994, the Yorkshire Archaeological Trust assessed the chalice and found it was too fragile to restore. Its diminutive remains were later cared for by Sheffield Museums until 2012, when the chalice returned to Barnsley for the opening of Experience Barnsley Museum.

Visitors to Experience Barnsley Museum can now see the original chalice remains alongside a replica showing how the once-gleaming object may have looked. A second replica will be presented to Monk Bretton Priory as part of the blessing event.

The blessing of the chalice marks a renewed partnership between Barnsley Museums, English Heritage, Jolly Good Communities, the Church of England and the Friends of Monk Bretton Priory. Together, the partners are working to celebrate Monk Bretton Priory’s history and share local heritage with more people.

Cllr Sam Burdett, Cabinet Spokesperson for Communities, said:

“The return of this remarkable chalice to Monk Bretton Priory is a powerful moment for Barnsley. For more than 800 years, the story of this sacred object has been intertwined with the story of our borough, and today we are ensuring that legacy lives on for future generations. Through the dedication of Barnsley Museums, our heritage partners, volunteers and local communities, we are not only preserving an extraordinary piece of medieval history, but bringing it to life in new and inspiring ways. This blessing celebrates our shared heritage, strengthens our connection to the past and highlights the pride we have in Barnsley’s unique historic treasures.”

Tom Sheard, Chair of the Friends of Monk Bretton Priory, said:

“We are delighted that after more than 100 years since the original Medieval Chalice left the Priory site, a replica is being returned and presented to our volunteers. The collaborative working between the Friends of Monk Bretton Priory, Barnsley Council, English Heritage and other partners is breathing new life into this amazing site. Anyone who has an interest in the protection and enhancement of the Priory is most welcome to join our group.”

Barnsley Museums’ youth group, Next Big Thing, were also inspired by the chalice and created their own play about the relic’s fabled history. They performed it to hundreds of people at the Priory’s Medieval Mayhem event in summer 2026. A film of the performance is now available on Barnsley Museums’ YouTube channel. 

Special thanks go to John Hislop, a member of the Friends of Monk Bretton Priory, and Museums’ Visitor Services Assistant Amanda Stoner for their idea to recreate the famed chalice.