History

A place of legends, myths and stories. With a history and heritage dating back centuries, it’s safe to say Cartmel Priory has many a story to tell. Steeped in history and rich with culture, the church has undergone bouts of expansion, ruin and transformation to get to where it is today.

The earliest mention of Cartmel in historical records occurs almost 500 years before the foundations of Cartmel Priory were laid, when in around 680 AD the monks of Lindisfarne took ownership of the land. This Christian era remained until 1189 when William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke, founded Cartmel Priory.

The Priory was saved at the time of the Dissolution of the Monasteries in the early 1530s, owing to William Marshall being granted an altar in one of the Priory’s chapels. The villagers protested that the Priory was in fact their parish church, and so it remains.

To explore more of the Priory’s fascinating history, below is a timeline of some major moments in the history of Cartmel Priory, from its early beginnings right through to the present day.