prieure
A priory is a monastic community headed by a prior or prioress. It is a subordinate establishment within a religious order, typically linked to a larger abbey or cathedral. While a priory can be an independent monastery, it is more commonly a dependency of an abbey, with its head, the prior, owing allegiance to the abbot of the mother house. The priory's resources and governance were often managed by the prior, who acted as the abbot's representative.
The establishment of priories served various purposes, including the administration of distant lands owned by an
The role of a priory within a religious order could evolve over time. Some priories gained independence