Priory Project
Why help? Old College Hall Transept roofs Willis Organ Heating & Lighting Local fund raising How to donate
St Bees Priory Projects
Why do we ask you to consider helping?
St Bees Priory was founded in 1120 and it would have been built between then and 1150. The graphic below is based on old etchings and the general design of religious buildings built in mediaeval times, and is probably a good representation of what the Priory would have looked like at its peak.
In 1539 Henry VIII ordered the Priory to be dissolved. The Prior and monks left but the villagers continued to use the nave as the local church. The chancel roof was stripped off and by 1739 the Priory had been reduced to the state seen in this engraving from that time.
and by 1815 to this
However, the founding of the Theological College led to restoration work, and today we have a church which is one of the jewels in Cumbria's crown.
However, if we do not raise money now to undertake work aimed at maintaining the building and its content it will in time become yet another ruined Priory, one of the many to be found in Britain today.
So we hope the pages in this section of the village web site will inspire you to contribute towards our repair and maintenance project.