According to Dugdale, a priory was founded at Kilpeck in 1134, and dedicated to St. David, by Henry de Kilpec. The founder more probably was Hugh Fitz Norman, who certainly endowed it. It was a cell of the Benedictine Abbey of St. Peter at Gloucester, and subsisted until its suppression in 1422–48, during the Episcopate of Thomas Spofford of Hereford. The priors were summoned to take part in the elections of the Gloucester abbots. Hugh was succeeded by Henry, called “De Kilpec,” who had to pay a fine of 100 marks to King Stephen for a trespass on the royal forest of the Haywood. Henry is also mentioned in the Pipe roll of Richard I. as in arrear 13 marks in 1189 for dues to the king from the forest of Trivel. John de Kilpec, son of Henry, purchased the barony of Purbeck or Pulverbach, Salop, of the Crown, in 1193 for £100. At the commencement of John’s reign he seems to have held in his bailiwick the forests of Herefordshire, probably as sheriff of that county, for which he rendered his accounts in the third of John. He also paid two marks scutage for his lands in Salop. He died 1204, and Julian, his widow, paid 60 marks to King John to marry whom she pleased. In the following year she had dower of Rokeslegh and La Teme, according to Madox. By Julian John left Hugh de Kilpeck, who was a ward to William de Cantelupe, a great border baron. At this time the king visited Kilpeck occasionally, being there 1211, 11th March, in his way from Hereford to Abergavenny, no doubt at both places as Cantelupe’s guest. Also in 1213, 27th and 28th November, he was here between Hereford and St. Briavels, and finally 18th and 19th December, 1214, while going from Monmouth to Hereford.