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The full name of this church is Priory Church of St Mary & St Michael, Cartmel, but it is commonly known as Cartmel Priory. One of the finest ecclesiastical buildings in the north of England, it was founded in 1189 by William Marshall during the reign of King Henry II. Cartmel was for centuries an extremely remote location in the southern part of the Lake District, and is still today accessible only by single-track roads. Here are two maps with different levels of detail.
Most medieval abbeys and priories were closed down during the reign of King Henry VIII, but Cartmel Priory survived the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1536-39. Monks and laymen at Cartmel joined the Pilgrimage of Grace, a popular uprising in the north and east of England in opposition to the shutting of the monasteries; for their role, four of the priory’s ten monks, along with ten villagers, were hanged for treason. The church was saved despite this because it had been devoted to parish worship since its establishment and the local townsfolk, having nowhere else to worship, petitioned for its conservation.
Here the StatDaughter and StatWife are standing outside the south porch entrance. The cross commemorates those who gave their lives in the Great War.
The wisdom of the priory’s preservation is immediately apparent to anyone who enters the building. It is a large, wonderful, and fascinating church building with multiple side chapels and choirs. Repairs, renovations, and restorations over the centuries have produced a wide variety of styles in architecture, stained glass, and other features.
The large collection of remarkable and exquisitely carved misericords and screens dates from about 1450. The stained glass windows date to virtually all periods of the church’s history–from the 12th through 20th centuries. Most striking is the 45-foot-high east window from the 15th century.
The east window of the Town Choir, shown at left, contains remnants of 14th-century glass that survived attempted destruction during the Reformation and the Civil War. The original window was a Jesse window, so-called because it illustrated the descent of Jesus from King David. Jesse, the father of David, would have been at the bottom in the centre, with tendrils emanating from his body through the whole window. Above him were the kings of Judah descended from Jesse and David. At the top in the centre would have been the figure of Jesus, the Messiah, the direct descendant of David. The surviving figures are some of the kings, and near the top can be seen the angel of the Annunciation.
On the right is the 19th-century east window of the north transept. The main windows show four English saints. The first panel shows St Aidan; second, St Oswald, King and Martyr; third, St Edward, King and Confessor; fourth, St Chad. Aidan was the founder and first bishop and abbot of Lindisfarne; Oswald led English troops to victory over the pagan king Caedwalla at the Battle of Heavenfield (AD 635); Edward founded Westminster Abbey, which is presumably the building he holds in his hand; Chad, a man of unusually humble and devout character, was the first bishop of Lichfield. Edward is the only southern saint depicted; the other three were northern saints. At the base of the window is the inscription: O ye servants of the Lord, bless ye the Lord, praise him and magnify him for ever.
Most of the information here is taken from several booklets purchased at the priory. All were written by the Rev Canon Eric Rothwell.
For more pictures and information, click here or here.
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