The convent was founded in 1392, on the initiative of Friar Gonçalo Marinho (founder of the convent of São Francisco de Viana), near Vila Nova de Cerveira, in the place of a chapel dedicated to São Paio, object of great popular devotion. The convent was known as São Paio do Monte, São Paio da Serra, São Paio das Penhas or São Paio dos Milagres. The community was recognised by the Holy See in 1449, and the convent was inhabited by the observer friars until 1460. On 13th of June of 1459, the convent was abandoned by the Observant friars and handed to the conventual Franciscans. They occupied the convent until 1568, when the Observants came back. These leaved the convent in 1570. In 1554, it underwent architectural renovations, on the initiative of Gonçalo Parreira Vilas Boas, nobleman of Areosa. In 1573, after the bull of pope Gregorio XIII, Friar António Bravo restored the convent, obtaining the authorization to live there with two or three religious under his obedience. Once he died, around 1585, the Province of Portugal took possession of the convent in 1596, drafting new statutes. After several adversities (the dissolution of the religious orders and a fire), the convent was abandoned and entered in a complete degradation state. In the 1980s, the building was recovered by the architect Viana de Lima, who carefully preserved the primitive traces. Currently, the building’s functions include accommodation, a centre of art, exhibition.