A Pancras-i papság volt az első Cluniac ház Angliában, és az egyik legnagyobb kolostori templom volt az országban. Egy kiterjedt fallal körűlvett körzetbe állították, amely egy parancsnoki helyen fekszik, az árapály-partvonal előtt, az Ouse-völgyében, Lewestől délre, Sussex megyében. A Priory-nak voltak testvér házai, köztük a Norfolk-i Castle Acre Priory, és egyéb egyházak és kiterjedt gazdaságok. Lewes-ben Szent Jakabnak és Szent Miklósnak szenteltek vendéglátóhelyeket.

The Priory of St Pancras was the first Cluniac house in England and had one of the largest monastic churches in the country. It was set within an extensive walled and gated precinct laid out in a commanding location fronting the tidal shore-line at the head of the Ouse valley to the south of Lewes in the County of Sussex. The Priory had daughter houses, including Castle Acre Priory in Norfolk, and was endowed with churches and extensive holdings throughout England. In Lewes it had hospitiums dedicated to St James and to St Nicholas.
In 1264, during the Battle of Lewes, King Henry III retreated with his forces to the Priory precinct which then came under attack from those of Simon de Montfort after his victory over Henry's army in battle. Henry was forced, in the Mise of Lewes, to accept the Council that was the start of Parliamentary government in England.