The priory dedicated to the Virgin Mary and St James was founded by Reiner le Fleming, Lord of the manor of Wath upon Dearne, in 1155 during the reign of Henry II.

Archbishop of York William Greenfield wrote to the prioress about rumours concerning Alice Raggid, Elizabeth Hopton, and Joan Heton.

Rumours implied they had been seeing religious and secular men in the nunnery and their behaviour led to the house being considered one of disrepute.

[2] A local inn, The Three Nuns, was named after Cecilia Topclife, Joan Leverthorpe and Katherine Grace, who sought refuge at the site of a guesthouse of the priory and ran it as a hostelry.

[5] The gatehouse was on Historic England's Heritage at Risk Register, but following extensive repair work was removed from the list.