Built by monks from S. Miquel de Fluvià sometime before 1123, as a male community. Guillem de Vilamarí, bishop of Girona, confirmed the election of the first prioress, Agnès de Pals.
Prioresses: Agnès de Pals (1314 -- ??), Blanca de Pals (1348-53), Dolça de Viladamat (1353-63), Francesca de Pals (1363-68) -- Dolça & Francesca were both prioresses of both S. Coloma de Matella and of S. Joan de l'Erm during the period when the two communities were united.
S. Joan de l'Erm; later S. Margarida de Vilanera: Frequent floods (especially that of 1327, which evacuated the community) and the black death in 1348 (which left the community with only one nun), caused the translation of the community to S. Joan. Nuns appeared at the community once again during the second half of the 14th century, but both S. Coloma & S. Joan were finally incorporated by S. Margarida in 1368.
