St Bees Priory

About

St Bees Priory is the parish church of St Bees, Cumbria, in England. There is evidence of a pre-Norman religious site, on which a Benedictine priory was founded by the first Norman Lord of Egremont William Meschin. It was dedicated by Archbishop Thurstan of York, sometime between 1120 and 1135.

Sculptural and charter evidence suggests the site was a principal centre of religious influence in the west of the county, and an extensive parish developed, with detached portions covering much of the Western Lakes. The priory was dissolved in 1539. Since then, the buildings have served as the Anglican church of St Bees parish, and are now Grade I listed buildings.