The following is a list of monastic houses in Cumbria, England, a modern county including all of the former Cumberland and Westmorland and parts of Lancashire.
| Foundation | Image | Communities & Provenance | Formal Name or Dedication & Alternative Names | Online References & Location | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Appleby Whitefriars # | Carmelite Friars founded 1281 (c.1290-3) by Lords Vescy, Percy, and Clifford; dissolved 1539 | [1] 54.5812°N -2.4897°W | |||
| Armathwaite Nunnery | Benedictine nuns founded before 1200 (6 January 1089 dubiously purported), endowed by William Rufus; dissolved 1537; granted to William Gryme or Carleil 1552/3 | (church dedicated to Jesus Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary) ____________________ Armethwaite Nunnery | [2] 54.7787°N -2.7214°W | ||
| Bleatarn Grange | Cistercian monks grange dependent on Byland, Yorkshire; founded during the reign of Henry II | ||||
| Calder Abbey | Savignac monks — from Furness; founded 10 January 1135-1137 by Ranulf Meschin, first Lord of Cumberland; community released from jurisdiction of Furness to that of Savigny; establishment ruined; transferred to Hood 1138; Savignac monks — from Furness; refounded c.1142-3, rebuilt; Cistercian monks orders merged 17 September 1147; dissolved 1536; granted to Thomas Leigh 1538/9; now in private ownership without public access | Caldre Abbey | [3] [4] 54.4441°N -3.4652°W | ||
| Carlisle Cathedral Priory + | purported monastery of monks and nuns founded 686 on land granted by Ecgfrith, King of Northumbria; destroyed in raids by the Danes c.875; rebuilt before 1092 by William Rufus and Walter, a Norman priest; secular canons from before 1092; Augustinian Canons Regular founded 1122 and built by Henry I; Augustinian Canons Regular — Arroasian(?) dissolved 1540: last prior appointed as first dean of the cathedral; episcopal diocesan cathedral founded 1133; extant | The Priory Church of the Holy Trinity, Carlisle The Cathedral Church of The Holy and Undivided Trinity, Carlisle (1133) ____________________ Carlilse Priory | [6] [7] 54.8947°N -2.9386°W | ||
| Carlisle Blackfriars | Dominican Friars (under the Visitation of York) founded (before?) 1233 outside the city walls, but ordered to be demolished for a highway; moved 1237; dissolved 1539 | [8] 54.8928°N -2.9361°W | |||
| Carlisle Greyfriars | Franciscan Friars Minor, Conventual (under the Custody of Newcastle) founded 1233; church destroyed by fire in 1292 and rebuilt; dissolved 1539 | [9] 54.8931°N -2.9338°W | |||
| Cartmel Priory + | Augustinian Canons Regular founded 1189/94 by William Marshall, Baron of Cartmel and Earl of Pembroke; dissolved 1536/7; granted to John Holcroft 1540/1; church now in parochial use | Kertmel Priory | [10] 54.2012°N -2.9523°W | ||
| Chapel-le-Wood Cell | Premonstratensian Canons cell dependent on Cockersand | 54.3683°N -2.7749°W | |||
| Conishead Priory ^, Ulverston | originally a hospital founded 1160 (after 1154); Augustinian Canons Regular founded 1188 (before 1181) by Gamel de Pennington (or William de Lancaster II); still occupied by canons at 16 October 1536; country house named 'Conishead Priory' built on site: and currently the home of the Buddhist Manjushri Kadampa Meditation Centre | The Priory Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Conishead ____________________ Conisheved Priory | [11] 54.1731°N -3.0679°W | ||
| Dacre Abbey | monks founded before 731; destroyed c.875 by Vikings; refounded before 926; Parish Church of St Andrew built to the south of the site | 54.6323°N -2.8381°W (probable) | |||
| Furness Abbey | Savignac monks — from Tulketh (Lancashire) dependent on Savigny; (founded 4 July 1124 at Tulketh by Stephen, Count of Boulogne); transferred from Tulketh 1126 (1124-7); Cistercian monks orders merged 17 September 1147; dissolved 1537; granted to Thomas Cromwell; (EH) | Furnes Abbey | [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17] 54.1355°N -3.1981°W | ||
| Hawkshead Grange | Cistercian monks grange of Furness; founded c.1160; 17th century Hawkshead Old Hall incorporates remains of grange; currently in use as a farmhouse | 54.3804°N -3.0035°W | |||
| Holmcultram Abbey +, Abbeytown | Cistercian monks — from Melrose, Scotland founded 30 December 1150 by Henry, son of David, King of Scotland; dissolved 1538; church in parochial use until destroyed in an arson incident 9 June 2006; roof and plasterwork replaced; restoration ongoing, church in use again (2012) | Holm Cultram Abbey; Holme Cultram Abbey | [18] 54.8454°N -3.2831°W | ||
| Holme Eden Abbey | Benedictine nuns removed from Fort Augustus, Invernessshire 1921; dissolved 1983; formerly Holme Eden Hall; altered for use as a nursing home | Priory of Saint Scholastica | 54.9049°N -2.8254°W | ||
| Kirkby Lonsdale | Benedictine monks manor of St Mary's Abbey, York — incorrectly asserted to have been a cell | ||||
| Kirkby Stephen | Benedictine monks estate of St Mary's Abbey, York — incorrectly asserted to have been a cell | ||||
| Lanercost Priory + | Augustinian Canons Regular — possibly from Pentney, Norfolk founded c.1166 (or 1169) by Robert de Villibus, Lord of Gilleisland; dissolved 1537; granted to Thomas Lord Dacre part converted into private house named 'Dacre Hall' church now in parochial use; (EH) | The Priory Church of Saint Mary Magdalene, Lanercost | [19] 54.9659°N -2.6955°W | ||
| Nunnery near Kirkoswald | Benedictine nuns house named 'Nunnery House' built on site | 54.7788°N -2.7214°W | |||
| Penrith Friary | Augustinian Friars (under the Limit of York) founded c.1291; dissolved 1539; house named 'The Friarage' built on site 1717 | [20] 54.664°N -2.7486°W | |||
| Preston Patrick (?)Abbey | Premonstratensian Canons daughter house of Cockersand; founded after 1192(?); transferred to Shap before 1201; house named 'Challons Hall' built on or near site | The Abbey Church of Saint Mary Magdelene, Preston Patrick ____________________ Preston Abbey | 54.2406°N -2.7074°W (possible) | ||
| Ravenstonedale Priory | Gilbertine Canons founded before c.1200; dissolved 1539(?); Parish Church of St Oswald built immediately to the south of the site | Ravenstonedale Cell | [21] [22] 54.4331°N -2.4295°W | ||
| St Bees Priory + | nuns cell? founded before c.640?, during the reign of King Oswald by Bega; brief existence transferred to Hartlepool, Northumbria (County Durham); or founded after 850 (c.900) by Bega — possible brief existence, though more likely an anchorites cell; Benedictine monks daughter house of St Mary's, York; founded not before c.1120 by William Meschin, on site of earlier church (c.900?); dissolved 16 October 1539; granted to Sir Thomas Challoner 1553/4; church now in parochial use | The Priory Church of SS Mary and Bega, Saint Bees, Saint Bees Priory ____________________ St Bee's Priory | [24] [25] [26] 54.4939°N -3.5936°W | ||
| St Constantine's Cells | Benedictine monks three cells, hermitage dependent on Wetheral; founded before 1112; | ||||
| Seaton Priory | Benedictine nuns daughter house of Nunburnholme, Yorkshire; founded c.1190-1200 by Henry Kirby; independent from after 1313; dissolved 1540; granted to Hugh Askue 1541/2; site now occupied by farmhouse named 'Seaton Hall' | Nunnery of Leakly, in Seaton; Seton Priory; Lekeley Priory | [27] 54.2972°N -3.3729°W | ||
| Shap Abbey | Premonstratensian Canons daughter house of Cockersand; (community founded at Preston Patrick before 1192(?)); transferred 1201 (1199), built (during the reign of Henry II) by Thomas Fitz Gospatrick; dissolved 1540; granted to Thomas Lord Wharton 1544/5; (EH) | Hepp Abbey | [28] 54.5302°N -2.6999°W | ||
| Wetheral Priory | Benedictine monks — from St Mary's, York dependent on York; founded 1106 by Ranulph Meschin, Earl of Cumberland; dissolved 20 October 1538; granted 1541/2 | The Priory Church of Saint Constantine, Wetheral The Priory Church of the Holy Trinity, Saint Mary and Saint Constantine, Wetheral ____________________ Wetherall Priory | [29] 54.8793°N -2.83°W | ||