Ruins of Dormitory of Former Priory of St Mary

RUINS OF DORMITORY OF FORMER PRIORY OF ST MARY

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Overview

Heritage Category:
Listed Building
Grade:
I
List Entry Number:
1197011
Date first listed:
13-Nov-1972
List Entry Name:
Ruins of Dormitory of Former Priory of St Mary
Statutory Address:
RUINS OF DORMITORY OF FORMER PRIORY OF ST MARY
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Date:
2003-09-10
Reference:
IOE01/11320/28
Rights:
© Mr Gordon Furness. Source: Historic England Archive

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:
Listed Building
Grade:
I
List Entry Number:
1197011
Date first listed:
13-Nov-1972
Date of most recent amendment:
11-Apr-1994
List Entry Name:
Ruins of Dormitory of Former Priory of St Mary
Statutory Address 1:
RUINS OF DORMITORY OF FORMER PRIORY OF ST MARY

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:
RUINS OF DORMITORY OF FORMER PRIORY OF ST MARY

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

District:
Cumberland (Unitary Authority)
Parish:
Non Civil Parish
National Grid Reference:
NY 39887 55924, NY 39896 55929

Details

CARLISLE

NY3955NE THE ABBEY 671-1/10/20 Ruins of Dormitory of former Priory 13/11/72 of St Mary (Formerly Listed as: THE ABBEY Remains of Cathedral Cloisters)

GV I

Dormitory (or dorter) for the Priory of St Mary, now in ruins. Mid or late C13. Large blocks of red sandstone with ashlar dressings. This former 2-storey building extended in a north-south alignment from the south transept of the Cathedral and joined the Fratry at right angles, forming the east range of the Cloisters. The west wall survives in part at ground floor level and has a pointed-arched doorway with trumeau; this gave access through the undercroft as a vestibule for the Chapter House opposite. The east wall has almost entirely gone, only the pointed-arched doorway into the Chapter House survives. Inside the west wall are the springers for the rib vaulting of the undercroft, which continue along the east wall of the Fratry; on the inside of the east wall is a further springer. On the east side of the Chapter House doorway (inside the Chapter House) is the beginning of the ribbed blind arching. Excavations (unpublished) in the 1950s revealed the ground level one metre below the present surface with medieval tiles in place in the Chapter House (now lifted). The slype arches which continued the wall to link with the Cathedral on the north were removed in 1809 as part of the new layout of the Cathedral grounds (see Carlisle Journal, 15 April 1809). For proposals to convert the ruins into the Cathedral Library in 1693, see JH Martindale, CWAAS, Trans.NS, XXIV. An engraving from a drawing by Thomas Hearne shows the ground floor intact in 1777 and a similar drawing viewed from the Cloisters by Robert Carlyle c1791, are in Carlisle Museum. (Cumb. & West. Antiquarian & Archaeological Soc. New Series: Martindale JH: XXIV: Remains of Conventual Buildings, Augustin.Priory, Carlisle: P.1-16).

Listing NGR: NY3989655929

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:
386595
Legacy System:
LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Transactions Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society in Transactions Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society, Vol. 24, (), 1-16
Carlisle Journal in 15 April, (1809)

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 Ruins of Dormitory of Former Priory of St Mary

Map

This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 29-Jun-2026 at 05:25:07.

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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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