The Prior of Rochester was the head of the Benedictine Priory of St. Andrew established at Rochester Cathedral in 1083. The priory was dissolved in 1540 and the last prior, Walter Phillips (or Phylypp) became the first Dean of the Cathedral Church of Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Years Name Alternative spellings Notes References
1083–1089–96 Ordouvin Ordowinus Wharton records Orduvin as mentioned in the Textus Roffensis and as having signed Gundulf's charter creating the priory on 20 September 1089. Hastead (1798), Wharton (1691)
? – 1096 Ernulph Arnulf Wharton records a charter (in the Canterbury archives) as being signed by "Arnulfi Prioris Roffensis". Later Prior of Canterbury, Abbot of Peterborough then Bishop of Rochester. Hastead (1798), Wharton (1691) disputed by Greenway (1971)
1096–1107 Ralph Radulfus Later Abbot of Battle Hastead (1798), Wharton (1691), Greenway (1971)
1107–1115? Ordouvin (again) Hastead (1798), Wharton (1691), Greenway (1971)
Letard Hastead (1798), Wharton (1691)
1145?– 1146 Brian Brien Hastead (1798), Wharton (1691), Greenway (1971)
1146?– 1154 Reginald Obtained a confirmation of the privileges of Rochester from Pope Adrian IV in 1154 Hastead (1798), Wharton (1691), Greenway (1971)
Ernulf II Hastead (1798), Wharton (1691)
William [de] Borstalle Hastead (1798), Wharton (1691), Greenway (1971)
fl. 1177 Silvester Confirmed by Pope Alexandro in 1178. Following a fire he rebuilt the refecorty, dormitory and three windows in the chapter house. Hastead (1798), Wharton (1691), Greenway (1971)
– 1182 Richard Went to be Prior of Burton, Staffs Hastead (1798), Wharton (1691), Greenway (1971)
1182–1186 Alfred Became Prior of Abingdon in May 1186 Hastead (1798), Wharton (1691), Greenway (1971)
1186 – Osbern de Scapeya Scapella Author Hastead (1798), Wharton (1691), Greenway (1971)
1193?– 1208? Ralph de Ros Expanded the priory, leaded the church roof. Hastead (1798), Wharton (1691), Greenway (1971)
1214?–1215 Elias Helias Completed Ralph's work and further expansion Hastead (1798), Wharton (1691), Greenway (1971)
8 March 1215 unnamed Appears in a legal case Greenway (1971)
fl. 1222 William Hastead (1798), Wharton (1691), Greenway (1971)
1225–1239 Richard de Derente Hastead (1798), Wharton (1691), Greenway (1971)
1239–1241 William de Hoo Hastead (1798), Wharton (1691), Greenway (1971)
1241–1252 Alexander de Glanville Hastead (1798), Wharton (1691), Greenway (1971)
– 1262 Simon de Clyve Hastead actually says 1622 Hastead (1798), Wharton (1691), Greenway (1971)
– 1283 John de Renham Rensham Hastead (1798), Wharton (1691), Greenway (1971)
– 1291 Thomas de Wouldham Suthflete Hastead (1798), Wharton (1691), Greenway (1971)
1292–1294 John de Renham Rensham (again) Hastead (1798), Wharton (1691), Greenway (1971)
1294–1301 Thomas de Shelford Shuldeford Hastead (1798), Wharton (1691), Greenway (1971)
1301–1314 John de Greenstreet Hastead (1798), Wharton (1691)
1314–1320 Hamo de Hethe Hastead (1798), Wharton (1691)
1320–1321 John de Westerham Hastead (1798), Wharton (1691)
1321–1333 John de Speldherst Hastead (1798), Wharton (1691)
1333–1352 John de Scapeya Shepey Hastead (1798), Wharton (1691)
1352–1361 Robert de Suthflete Hastead (1798), Wharton (1691)
1361–1380 John de Hertlepe Hertley Hastead (1798), Wharton (1691)
1380–1419 John de Sheppey Scapeya Hastead (1798), Wharton (1691)
1419–1447 William Tunbrygg Hastead (1798), Wharton (1691)
1447–1448 John Clyfe Hastead (1798)
1448 – John Cardone Hastead (1798)
Richard Pekham
William Wod Wode Hastead (1798), Wharton (1691)
fl. 1480 Thomas Bourne Hastead (1798)
fl. 1496 William Bishop Hastead (1798), Wharton (1691)
1508 – William Frysell Fresell Hastead (1798), Wharton (1691)
fl. 1533–34 Laurence Mereworth Hastead (1798)
– 1150 Walter Boxley Philips Monks adopted the name of their birthplace on entering the monastery to signify the break with their family. Boxley retook his family name of Philips after the dissolution. Hastead (1798)

References

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  • Greenway, Diana E, ed. (1971), "Monastic Cathedrals (Northern and Southern Provinces)", Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae 1066-1300, vol. 2, pp. 78–80, retrieved 29 November 2018 – via British History Online
  • Hastead, Edward (1798), "The city and liberty of Rochester: The priory and cathedral church", The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent, vol. 4, Canterbury, retrieved 25 August 2018 – via British History Online
  • Page, William, ed. (1926), "Houses of Benedictine monks: The cathedral priory of St Andrew, Rochester", A History of the County of Kent, vol. 2, pp. 121–126, retrieved 25 August 2018 – via British History Online
  • Wharton, Henry (1691), Anglia Sacra, sive Collectio Historiarum, partim antiquitus, partim recenter scriptarum, de Archiepiscopis & Episcopis Angliae [Sacred England or a collection of history in part old, part recently written, of archbishops and bishops in England] (in Latin), vol. Pars Prima, London: Richard Creswell, retrieved 29 November 2018 – via The Internet Archive