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The Historic Stones of St. Bees Priory

This is a description of the stones on public display in the History Area of the Priory in the south aisle. The History Area was created in the 1970's by the author of this web page to bring together the many stones scattered around the Priory, which constitutes the best group of medieval and earlier sculpture in West Cumbria. The grave slabs show a variety of styles, and as was common, used images to convey whom they commemorate. There are three interesting effigies, some stones with inscriptions, and other interesting stones, like the "Green Monk".

Each stone tells a tale..........

General view of the history area with the St. Bees Man shroud display case in the foreground. On the ground are the two effigies, the cresset stone and the Irton slab.

Three Medieval Effigies.

There are three stone medieval effigies on display in the History area. Two of Knights, and one of a woman. The latter was moved here in September 2005 from the Old College Hall undercroft.

General view of the effigies as they are displayed now.

In January 1981, during archaeological work under the Old College Hall, a large red sandstone effigy of a woman was found. She wears a widow's veil, with traces under her chin of a "barbe" or band of linen. Her full long-sleeved dress is gathered up to the crook of her right arm. Her hands are on her breast in the usual attitude of prayer. There is a dog at her feet, possibly indicating fidelity. The effigy is broken at the neck and the face has been mulitated. It is dated 1300 - 1450. This probably would have been on one of the large tomb vaults in the Priory. Below is a picture of the effigy as found under the Old College hall after removal of several tons of rubble in which it had been buried.

This is much mutilated, and clues are few. The "Fretty" diagonal marks on the shield are the best clue to the origin. Five Cumberland families had this device, and this effigy is probably of a member of the Hudleston or Harrington families. The armour is chain-mail

Limestone effigy of a knight- late fourteenth century.

This effigy is wearing plate armour and the head appears to rest on two cushions. There are no traces of armorial bearings to give a clue to identity.

Both effigies were brought down from the churchyard in 1981, where they had been put on an unrelated vault for convenience in the 1800's.

Context of the effigies

It is likely the effigies described here are those shown on the Buck's view of 1739.

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