St Bees Priory, former chancel to Priory Church of St Mary and St Bega (Old College Hall)

St Bees Priory, former chancel to Priory Church of St Mary and St Bega (Old College Hall), B5345

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Overview

Heritage Category:
Listed Building
Grade:
I
List Entry Number:
1086681
Date first listed:
09-Aug-1984
List Entry Name:
St Bees Priory, former chancel to Priory Church of St Mary and St Bega (Old College Hall)
Statutory Address:
St Bees Priory, former chancel to Priory Church of St Mary and St Bega (Old College Hall), B5345
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Location

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Date:
2000-07-16
Reference:
IOE01/01078/33
Rights:
© Mr Julian Thurgood. Source: Historic England Archive

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:
Listed Building
Grade:
I
List Entry Number:
1086681
Date first listed:
09-Aug-1984
List Entry Name:
St Bees Priory, former chancel to Priory Church of St Mary and St Bega (Old College Hall)
Statutory Address 1:
St Bees Priory, former chancel to Priory Church of St Mary and St Bega (Old College Hall), B5345

The scope of legal protection for listed buildings

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

The scope of legal protection for listed buildings

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

Location

Statutory Address:
St Bees Priory, former chancel to Priory Church of St Mary and St Bega (Old College Hall), B5345

The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.

District:
Cumberland (Unitary Authority)
Parish:
St. Bees
National Grid Reference:
NX 96910 12130

Details

This List entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 07/11/2017

NX 91 SE (INSET),
8/67

ST BEES
B5345 (west side)
St Bees Priory, former chancel to Priory Church of St Mary and St Bega (Old College Hall)

(Formerly listed as St Bees School, Music room in former chancel to Priory Church of St Mary and St Bega)

GV
I
Former chancel to Priory Church (music room for St Bees School when surveyed). Rebuilt late C12; south aisle added late C13/early C14. Un-roofed at Dissolution; re-roofed and south arcade walled up when converted for use as lecture room in early C19. Wooden floor inserted. Sandstone blocks.

North side and east end have moulded plinth, string, decoratively carved cavetto eaves moulding, and pilaster buttresses between windows. Five-bay north side has tall lancets with waterleaf capitals (to nook-shafts, now lost). East end has three lancets of equal height with waterleaf capitals; some en-delit nook-shafts survive. Remains of (stepped??) lancets in gable. Four-bay south arcade has windows inserted in blocking walls; steps up to door. Fragmentary remains of south and east walls to aisle.

Internally, removal of rubbish below wooden floor in 1981 uncovered medieval flagged floor with steps up to altar platform; (C14?) effigy or woman against north wall. In music room, east wall retains ornate two-tier late C12 blind arcading between windows.

Listing NGR: NX9690912130

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:
76165
Legacy System:
LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Pevsner, N, Hyde, M, The Buildings of England: Cumbria, (2010)

Legal

This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.

Ordnance survey map of St Bees Priory, former chancel to Priory Church of St Mary and St Bega (Old College Hall)

Map

This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 02-Jul-2026 at 14:46:06.

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© Crown copyright [and database rights] 2026. OS AC0000815036. Use of this mapping is subject to Terms and Conditions.

End of official list entry

All text content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 , except where otherwise stated. Any supplied maps are © Crown Copyright [and database rights] 2026 OS AC0000815036 and may not be reproduced without permission.

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