WETHERAL PRIORY

ALTERNATIVE NAME:

PRIORY OF ST CONSTANTINE, PRIORY OF HOLY TRINITY ST MARY AND ST CONSTANTINE

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The gatehouse and a length of medieval wall at Wetheral Priory consist of the only surviving remains of this Benedictine monastery founded circa 1106-12. The priory was dedicated to Holy Trinity and St Constantine and was established as a cell of the Abbey of St Mary, York for twelve monks. In 1538 it was dissolved by Henry VIII and all the buildings, with the exception of the gatehouse, were demolished.

Built from red sandstone in the 14th century, the gatehouse is three storeys high and two bays wide. It has a large, round-headed moulded entrance arch and one and two-light windows. The remaining section of wall, thought to be part of the eastern wall of the Chapter House, has an original two light window and indications of a stairway. The destroyed church and monastic buildings lay to the east of the gatehouse.

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(NY 46855415) Remains of (NAT) Wetheral Priory (NR) (Benedictine Founded AD 1106) (NAT) (1)

Wetheral Priory, Benedictine, was dedicated to the Holy Trinity and St Constantine, and founded C1106-12 as a cell of the Abbey of St Mary, York for twelve monks. The priory was surrendered in 1538 and demolished with the exception of the late (Perpendicular) gatehouse (at NY 46815412) which still stands, in excellent condition.
The destroyed church and monastic buildings lay to the east of the gatehouse. On the extreme east of the farm buildings 250 feet from the gatehouse a wall remains 75ft long with an original two light window and indications of a stairway; this may be part of the eastern wall of the Chapter House. (2-4)

The gatehouse is in good condition, (see GP for western aspect,) also the wall, previously described, which extends from NY 46885419 to NY 46895417. There are no other visible remains. (5)

(NY 468541) Wetheral Abbey (NR) (Benedictine. Founded AD 1106) (NAT) (NY 46815412) Gatehouse (NR) (Remains of) (NAT) (6)

Walls of east range of Wetheral Priory, east of Gatehouse.

Part of Wall. C14, for Benedictine Priory of Wetheral. Dressed red sandstone wall with moulded dressings. Probably originally 2 storeys but now only stands to the top of the ground floor windows; 25 metres long. Chamfered plinth course, with a probably ruined staircase at the south end. 2 lancet windows with square heads: one mullioned window of 2 lights with trefoil cusped heads. Windows and stonework match gatehouse and probably represent a total rebuilding of the Priory. No other part of the Priory stands above ground. It has been suggested that this could have been the east wall of the Chapter House: see, J.H. Martindale, The Priory of Wetheral, Transactions of the Cumberland & Westmorland, Antiquarian & Archaeological Society, vol. xxii, p.250. 14.189 Wetheral Priory.

Gatehouse I

Gatehouse tower. C14, for Benedictine Priory of Wetheral. Dressed red sandstone walls with moulded dressings and stone-slate replacement roof. 3 storeys, 2 bays. Chamfered plinth course and moulded string-course to each storey, with battlemented parapet. Large round-headed moulded entrance arch with barrel-vaulted passage. Mullioned windows of 2 lights with chamfered dressings, hood moulds and trefoil cusped heads above entrance: windows in other elevations are similar, but of one light. Label moulds to sides show single storey roof line of original adjoining buildings now demolished. Internal spiral staircase gives access to floors and roof. Priory was founded c1100, but the gatehouse represents a later rebuilding, probably after the destruction of the buildings following successive border raids. Scheduled A.M. See, J.H. Martindale, The Priory of Wetheral, Transactions of the Cumberland & Westmorland, Antiquarian & Archaeological Society, vol xxii, p.239-251. (7-8)

NY 468054211 Wetheral Priory gatehouse and a length of medieval wall; Scheduled (RSM) 23653. (9)

SOURCE TEXT

( 1) Ordnance Survey Map (Scale / Date)

OS 6" 1957

( 2) Transactions of the Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian & Archaeological Society

(J H Martindale) 22 (1922) Page(s)239-51

( 3) by David Knowles and R Neville Hadcock 1953 Medieval religious houses : England and Wales

Page(s)80

(4) by J Charles Cox 1913 County churches : Cumberland and Westmorland

Page(s)131-2

( 5) Field Investigators Comments

R W Emsley/05-APR-1966/Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Field Investigator

( 6) Ordnance Survey Map (Scale / Date)

OS 1:2500 1968

( 7) List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest

City of Carlisle, 22-SEP-1983 33 Page(s)58-59

( 8) by Nikolaus Pevsner 1967 Cumberland and Westmorland

The buildings of England Page(s)201-2

( 9) Scheduled Monument Notification

31-JAN-1994

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