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Kirklees Priory. ] By Henrik Thiil Nielsen, 2013-07-05. Revised by … Kirklees Priory was a small Cistercian priory, founded in the early 12th century Clay, C T 1954a, see p. 355. or during the reign of Henry II (1154-89), certainly in existence by 1211. Chadwick, S J 1901a, p. 323 n. 1. The only surviving part of the buildings is the Gatehouse, rebuilt in the Elizabethan period and situated on the outskirts of Kirklees Park, c. 650 m. NE of Robin Hood's Grave. According to the Gest (see Evidence below) and later sources, it was at Kirklees that Robin Hood was killed through the treachery of his cousin the prioress. Kirklees is in the township of Hartshead-cum-Clifton and in the ancient parish of Dewsbury. It occurs in the records from 1202 on as "Kirkeley", "Kyrkeleis", "Kyrkesley" and through metathesis as "Crickeleys". The strange form "Kuthelaga" has also been recorded. The etymology of the name, a compound of ON kirkja and OE lēah, is "church clearing(s)", …