Lanercost Priory–King Edwards Tower (The Gatehouse Record)

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as;
Vicarage; Vicar's Pele Tower; Uttergate

In the civil parish of Burtholme.
In the historic county of Cumberland.
Modern Authority of Cumbria.
1974 county of Cumbria.
Medieval County of Cumberland.

OS Map Grid Reference: NY55556370
Latitude 54.96598° Longitude -2.69556°

Lanercost Priory–King Edwards Tower has been described as a certain Pele Tower.

There are major building remains.

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law.
This is a Grade 1 listed building protected by law*.

Description

Vicarage incorporating former Guest House of the Outer Court of Lanercost Priory. Early C13 with additions of mid C16, and early C19 alterations. Calciferous and red sandstone from the nearby Roman Wall, red sandstone dressings; tower has gabled slate roof within parapet, extension has red sandstone slate roof with coped gables; calciferous ashlar chimney stacks. 3- storey, single-bay tower, to left. Ground floor double cross-mullioned window; blocked original window above; other windows are C19. Dogtooth decorated cornice with battlemented parapet. Short wall to left with blocked window is the remains of the rear wall of a C16 building which stood in front of the tower. Side wall has 2 blocked 2-light stone-mullioned windows, with similar window above. Rear wall has earlier stonework on ground floor. Projecting chimney breast has C19 2-light window on ground floor. Small window to left has been blocked internally, but retains its C16 iron grille. Tall first floor window to right and small square blocked window above. Built into the front wall is an inverted Roman inscribed stone LEG VI and sculptured stone head above right, is thought to be of Edward II. Interior of tower has cupboard in north-west angle which could be the entrance to the newel staircase; C16 moulded plaster frieze of scallop shells and mermaids, similar to plasterwork in scriptorium. C16 extension to right of 2 storeys, 6 bays, has C19 porch with chamfered Tudor arch, 2-light chamfered mullioned window above and moulded cornice. Central upper floor 3-light chamfered stone-mullioned windows with continuous hood mould, are original; all other mullioned windows are early C19 replacements in a similar style. Projecting upper floor chimney breast to right of original windows. Rear wall has single-storey C19 extension for its full length and 2-storey extension link with tower. Original central upper floor 5-light cross-mullioned window in moulded architrave with hood mould; flanking original 2-light windows. Interior of ground floor kitchen window is splayed with segmental arch. (Listed Building Report)

West of the church is a 13th century fortified tower with 16th century additions that is now used as a vicarage but was originally the guest house of the outer court of the priory. To the north of this building is a large open area known as The Garth. This area contains various earthwork remains of further buildings and other structures associated with the priory, however, the precise nature and function of these earthworks is not fully understood. (Scheduling Report)

Sources of information, references and further reading

National Heritage List for England Scheduled Monument Number 1008635, Legacy Scheduled Monument Number 23689
National Heritage List for England Listed Building number(s) 1087502
Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s) 503262.
County Historic Environment Record (or Sites and Monuments Record) number(s) 4567.

Websites (Gatehouse is not responsible for the content of external websites.)
- English Heritage official site
  Visit Cumbria
  CastleUK.net
  Old Cumbria Gazetteer
  Abaroth's World
Books
- Harrison, Peter, 2004, Castles of God (Woodbridge; Boydell Press) p. 67
  Brooke, C.J., 2000, Safe Sanctuaries (Edinburgh; John Donald) p. 267
  Summerson, H. and Harrison, S., 2000, Lanercost Priory, Cumbria. A Survey and Documentary History (Kendal: CWAAS Research Series 10) p. 44, 59, 64, 134-7, 183
  Perriam, Denis and Robinson, John, 1998, The Medieval Fortified Buildings of Cumbria (Kendal: CWAAS Extra Series 29) p. 162
  Salter, Mike, 1998, The Castles and Tower Houses of Cumbria (Malvern: Folly Publications) p. 70
  Pettifer, A., 1995, English Castles, A guide by counties (Woodbridge: Boydell Press) p. 43
  Cope, Jean, 1991, Castles in Cumbria (Cicerone Press) p. 99-101
  King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol. 1 p. 88
  Hugill, Robert, 1977, Castles and Peles of Cumberland and Westmorland (Newcastle; Frank Graham) p. 113-5
  Knowles, David and Hadcock, R. Neville, 1971, Medieval religious houses in England and Wales (Longman) p. 162
  Pevsner, N., 1967, Buildings of England: Cumberland and Westmorland (Harmondsworth: Penguin) p. 157
  Hugill, R.,1939, Borderland Castles and Peles (1970 Reprint by Frank Graham) p. 143-4
  Curwen, J.F., 1913, Castles and Fortified Towers of Cumberland, Westmorland and Lancashire North of the Sands (Kendal: CWAAS Extra Series 13) p. 293
Periodical Articles
- Baldwin, M., 1958, 'A note on the Conventual Buildings' The Archaeological Journal Vol. 115 p. 225-7 online copy
  Ferguson, R.S. and Ferguson, C.J., 1866-73, 'Lanercost Priory' Transactions of the Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society Vol. 1 p. 95- (history) online copy
Guidebooks
- Keevil, Graham D., 2003, Lanercost Priory (London: English Heritage)
  Moorman, John R.H., 1967 (2edn), Lanercost Priory (Brampton: John Moorman)

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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.

The possible site or monument is represented on maps as a point location. This is a guide only. It should be noted that OS grid references defines an area, not a point location. In practice this means the actual center of the site or monument may often, but not always, be to the North East of the point shown. Locations derived from OS grid references and from latitude longitiude may differ by a small distance.
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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