Church of St Mary and St Bega
CHURCH OF ST MARY AND ST BEGA, B5345
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- I
- List Entry Number:
- 1336027
- Date first listed:
- 09-Mar-1967
- List Entry Name:
- Church of St Mary and St Bega
- Statutory Address:
- CHURCH OF ST MARY AND ST BEGA, B5345
Location
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Images of England Project
- Date:
- 2000-07-17
- Reference:
- IOE01/01577/07
- Rights:
- © Mr Julian Thurgood. Source: Historic England Archive
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- I
- List Entry Number:
- 1336027
- Date first listed:
- 09-Mar-1967
- List Entry Name:
- Church of St Mary and St Bega
- Statutory Address 1:
- CHURCH OF ST MARY AND ST BEGA, 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.
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.
Location
- Statutory Address:
- CHURCH OF ST MARY AND ST BEGA, 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 96883 12118
Details
NX 91 SE (INSET)
8/66
ST BEES
B5345 (West side)
Church of St Mary and St Bega
9.3.67
GV
I
Benedictine Priory, now Parish Church. Present building dates from re-foundation c1120. Unroofed at Dissolution, re-roofed 1611 for use as Parish Church; further
restoration 1622. Extensively remodelled and restored by Butterfield in C19: 1855, transepts re-roofed; 1858, tower repaired; 1881 aisles re-roofed.
Sandstone blocks on plinth (moulded in places); buttresses added at west end. North transept arm retains parts of original arched corbel table, and string below windows. Welsh slate roofs.
Nave with aisles, transept, crossing tower, and short chancel.
Original Romanesque west door of four semi-circular orders (under hoodmould) carried between ornamentally carved cushion capitals. Three outer orders carved with chevron interspersed with heads; only one of original jamb shafts survives; inner order plain, with compound respond. Late C20 fittings to doors. C19 lancet to end of each aisle and three above door. C19 two- and three-light aisle windows, restored two- and three-light C17 clerestory windows. Traceried C19 chancel windows.
Interior: Six-bay nave arcade carried on alternating cylindrical/octagonal piers (except central north, clustered kneeled shafts); pointed, moulded arches with continuous hoodmould. Clerestory windows over spandrels. Pointed, moulded crossing arches carried on keeled responds. C19 walls, pierced with large cinquefoils, separate aisles from transept. Chancel extends into crossing. Polychromed blind arcading to east wall, Minton floor tiles. Painted cast-iron altar rail; ornate 1886 painted cast/wrought iron chancel screen. Medieval bracket piscina in north transept arm. Numerous inscribed/carved medieval grave slabs in north transept arm and east end of south aisle. Stone set in south wall at west end of aisle inscribed and dated 1611, said to commemorate repairs carried out by churchwardens. Old and New Testament cycles in C19 stained-glass windows. Octagonal marble font in south aisle given by contractor in 1858. C19 octagonal wooden pulpit.
Listing NGR: NX9688412121
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 76164
- Legacy System:
- LBS
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 04-Jun-2026 at 12:59:55.
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