Calder Abbey Gate (The Gatehouse Record)

In the civil parish of St Bridget Beckermet.
In the historic county of Cumberland.
Modern Authority of Cumbria.
1974 county of Cumbria.
Medieval County of Cumberland.

OS Map Grid Reference: NY04960639
Latitude 54.44403° Longitude -3.46707°

Calder Abbey Gate has been described as a Fortified Ecclesiastical site although is doubtful that it was such.

There are masonry ruins/remnants remains.

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law.
This is a Grade 2* listed building protected by law*.

Description

Gatehouse to Calder Abbey, used as a garage at time of survey (April 1984). Probably C14 with later alterations including conversion to agricultural use in C17 or C18. Stone blocks with quoins. Graduated slate roof (of reduced pitch?) renewed in 1970s. 2 storeys, 2 bays. Wide, pointed wagon arch in each gable end of 2 chamfered orders. Chamfered imposts and plinths to eastern arch, western arch blocked with door inserted. 3 small splayed windows, now blocked, to ground floor left in north wall with inserted loft door to right; 2-light C17 unglazed mullioned window to 1st floor on each wall, all probably re-used. Stone copings and kneelers to roof. Interior: floor removed during renovation; single king post roof truss. Byre range adjoining to north not of interest. The gatehouse forms a major part of an important group of monastic buildings. (Listed Building Report)

Calder Abbey, founded 1134 by Wm de Meschines. Church built late 12th - early 13th century. It has a cloister on the S side and part of the monastic buildings are now inside a late Georgian house. Oldest detail of church is W doorway with round, moulded arch, waterleaf capitals. The church has straight E end, transepts with an E aisle, a nave with aisles 5 bays long. The W range of the monastic buildings has completely gone. The S range exists partly in the 18th century house. Much of E range still exists and consists of chapter house, dormitory, undercroft. Part of the refectory and warming house survive in the basement of the 18th century house. The gatehouse is apparently 14th century. (Lake District National Park HER)

Sources of information, references and further reading

National Heritage List for England Scheduled Monument Number 1007166, Legacy Scheduled Monument Number cu307
National Heritage List for England Listed Building number(s) 1086629
Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s) 8698.
Further information may be available from the holder of the county Historic Environment Record.

Websites (Gatehouse is not responsible for the content of external websites.)
- Visit Cumbria
  Wikipedia entry
  Old Cumbria Gazetteer
Books
- Perriam, Denis and Robinson, John, 1998, The Medieval Fortified Buildings of Cumbria (Kendal: CWAAS Extra Series 29) p. 100
  Pevsner, Nikolaus, 1967, Buildings of England: Cumberland and Westmorland (Harmondsworth) p. 86
  Parker, C.A. (new edn rev. Collingwood, W.G.), 1926, The Gosforth District: Its Antiquities and Places of Interest (Kendal: CWAAS Extra Series 15) p. 130
  Wilson, J. (ed), 1905, 'Houses of Cistercian monks: The abbey of Calder' in VCH Cumberland_ Vol. 2 p. 174-178 online transcription
  Hutchinson, W., 1794, The History of the County of Cumberland (Carlisle) Vol. 1 p. 594- online copy
Periodical Articles
- Thorley, J., 2004, 'The Estates of Calder Abbey' Transactions of the Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society Vol. 4 p. 133-162 online copy
  Calvert, W.K. and Peck, H., 1953, 'Calder Abbey' Transactions of the Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society Vol. 53 p. 83, 85 online copy
  Loftie, A.G., 1885-6, 'Calder Abbey' Transactions of the Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society Vol. 8 p. 467-504 online copy
  Loftie, A.G., 1882-3, 'Explorations at Calder Abbey' Transactions of the Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society Vol. 6 p. 368-72 online copy

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The bibliography owes much to various bibliographies produced by John Kenyon for the Council for British Archaeology, the Castle Studies Group and others.

Suggestions for finding online and/or hard copies of bibliographical sources can be seen at this link.
Minor archaeological investigations, such as watching brief reports, and some other 'grey' literature is most likely to be held by H.E.R.s but is often poorly referenced and is unlikely to be recorded here, or elsewhere, but some suggestions can be found here.

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Further information on mapping and location can be seen at this link.

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*The listed building may not be the actual medieval building, but a building on the site of, or incorporating fragments of, the described site.

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