Monastery of St Bees, Cumberland

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	item:- Dove Cottage : 2008.107.214 image:- ©  see bottom of page	click to enlarge
	Print, uncoloured engraving, Monastery of St Bees, Cumberland, engraved by Sparrow, published by Samuel Hooper, Ludgate Hill, London, 1775. Included in The Antiquities of England and Wales, by Francis Grose. Printed with the picture is:- 'Of this house Tanner gives the following history: "Bega, an holy woman from Ireland, is said ot have founded, about the year of our Lord 650, a small monastery in Copeland, where afterward a church was built in memory of her. This religious house being destroyed by the Danes, was restored by William, son to Ranulph de Meschin, Earl of Cumberland, temp. Hen. I. and made a cell of a prior and six Benedictine monks to the abbey of St. Mary at York. IT was endowed (at the dissolution) with 143l. 17s. 2d. ob. per ann. Dugdale, 149l. 19s. 6d. Speed, and granted 7 Ed. 6th, to Sir Tho. Challoner, but 4 et 5 Phil. et Mar. to the bishop of Chester, and his successors." The living is a curacy in the diocese of Chester; the patron Sir James Lowther. 'THIS monastery lies in a bottom about four miles south-west from Whitehaven, and about one north from Egremont. The chief remains are those of the conventual church, which is now used as a parochial one. The arches of this building are all pointed, except that over over the west door, which is circular, and has zig-zag mouldings and ornament of heads, like those on the door of Ifley church in Oxfordshire. The key stone seems to have represented the head of Christ. The window in the chancel are long, and extremely narrow. 'THE vicarage house appears to have been constructed out of the ruins of the monastery, and stands a little to the south-west of it. Southward of the church are many foundations, which make it probable the offices extended that way. in the church yard, on the south side of the church, are the almost shapeless trunks of the figures of two knights; one holding a shield, and the other with his hands joined, as in the attitude of praying. They are broken off at the knees, and much defaced by time. 'A SMALL distance east of the church stands the grammar school, founded by Dr. Edmund Grindal, archbishop of Canterbury. It has a library to it, and has been much improved by the donations of Dr. Lamplugh, late archbishop of of York, Dr. Smith, late bishop of Carlisle, Sir John Lowther, and others. The right of nominating the master, is in the provost and fellows of Queens College, Oxford. 'THE village of St. Bees lies a quarter of a mile south of the monastery. The way to it lies over a bridge lately repaired, but having on it the date 1588, with the initials R.G. 'This view, which shews the north-west aspect of the church, was drawn in 1774.'
	source type:-	Grose 1772-87 (edn 1775)
	inscription:-	printed bottom left, right, centre Novr. 25th. 1775. / Sparrow Sc. / S. Hooper Ex. / THE MONASTERY OF ST. BEES, CUMBERLAND. / ...
	wxh, page:-	24.5x32cm
	wxh, image:-	146x104mm

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