Holmcultram Abbey (alternatively Holm Cultram Abbey or Holme Cultram Abbey) was a

Cistercian The Cistercians, () officially the Order of Cistercians ( la, (Sacer) Ordo Cisterciensis, abbreviated as OCist or SOCist), are a Catholic religious order of monks and nuns that branched off from the Benedictines and follow the Rule of Saint ...

monastery in what is now the village of Abbeytown in Cumbria, United Kingdom. Founded in 1150, the abbey was suppressed in 1538 during the Dissolution of the Monasteries. The former monastic church remains in use as a parish church and a

place of worship A place of worship is a specially designed structure or space where individuals or a group of people such as a congregation come to perform acts of devotion, veneration, or religious study. A building constructed or used for this purpose is somet ...

Foundation and Scots connections

The abbey was founded in 1150 by Cistercian monks from Melrose Abbey on land given by Alan of Allerdale. In territory formerly held by Scotland, the land was granted by Prince Henry and the building was made of stone from north of the Solway Firth. The area was later regained by Henry II of England who confirmed the grant of land in 1157. The abbey rented land in Galloway and held it for 200 years, disposing of it when it became no longer possible for Englishmen to hold land in Scotland.

History

The abbey steadily became prosperous, acquiring lands in north

Cumberland Cumberland ( ) is a historic county in the far North West England. It covers part of the Lake District as well as the north Pennines and Solway Firth coast. Cumberland had an administrative function from the 12th century until 1974. From 19 ...

and undertaking reclamation work along the Solway. In 1301 it was granted a market at Skinburness, together with permission to build a church. Following violent storms which devastated Skinburness, both permissions were transferred to

Newton Arlosh Newton Arlosh is a village in the civil parish of Holme East Waver in Cumbria, United Kingdom. Landmarks St. John the Evangelist's Church is one of the most complete fortified churches in the area. In ruins from the Dissolution until the 19 ...

, where the abbey built a heavily fortified

chapel of ease A chapel of ease (or chapel-of-ease) is a church architecture, church building other than the parish church, built within the bounds of a parish for the attendance of those who cannot reach the parish church conveniently. Often a chapel of ea ...

. Experience had shown that the abbey's Scots origins did not protect it from attacks by Scots raiders, from whom it suffered repeatedly from 1216 onwards, with a particularly severe attack in 1319, by Robert the Bruce, despite his father being buried there. The community established a daughter house at

Grey Abbey Grey Abbey may refer to: Monasteries * Grey Abbey, Down a 12th century Cistercian monastery in County Down, Northern Ireland * Grey Abbey, Kildare a 13th century Franciscan monastery in County Kildare, Republic of Ireland Human settlements * ...

County Down County Down () is one of the six counties of Northern Ireland, one of the nine counties of Ulster and one of the traditional thirty-two counties of Ireland. It covers an area of and has a population of 531,665. It borders County Antrim to the ...

in Northern Ireland in 1193.

Dissolution

This former Cumberland monastic community was dissolved in 1538, when the parish petitioned for, and obtained, the use of the church; the abbot became the first

rector Rector (Latin for the member of a vessel's crew who steers) may refer to: Style or title *Rector (ecclesiastical), a cleric who functions as an administrative leader in some Christian denominations *Rector (academia), a senior official in an edu ...

Buildings

The buildings are constructed of red sandstone from the other side of the Solway. Archaeological excavations from 2006 onwards have shown that the monastic buildings extended to the south of the church, and followed the usual Cistercian pattern. The church was along the north side of the cloister, with other buildings on the other three sides, the refectory being opposite the church and the chapter house to the west. The former abbey church underwent a series of structural accidents (such as the collapse of the tower in 1600) and alterations as a result of which it gradually shrank to comprise the first six bays of the nave, without aisles. In addition the roof was lowered to the height of a single storey and there were two energetic restorations in 1883 and 1913. This nevertheless left a large enough building to continue to serve to the present day as the parish church of Abbeytown.

Fire and restoration

The church was severely damaged by

arson Arson is the crime of willfully and deliberately setting fire to or charring property. Although the act of arson typically involves buildings, the term can also refer to the intentional burning of other things, such as motor vehicles, wat ...

on 9 June 2006, when original records of the monastery, including the cartulary, were destroyed. It took over nine years to complete repair work to the abbey, but it was eventually fully restored and reopened to the public in September 2015. From the time of the arson attack until the reopening, parishioners worshipped in one of the side rooms which had been left undamaged. Also in September 2015, a further archaeological dig was being conducted in the grounds. File:Holme cultram abbey 2017.jpg, Church after restoration looking east File:Holme abbey looking west.jpg, Church looking west with restoration work ongoing File:Holme abbey north transept window.jpg, New window in restored north transept File:Holme abbey east window.jpg, East window

Burials

* Christian of Whithorn * Robert de Brus, 6th Lord of Annandale

Sources

* New, Anthony, 1985: ''A Guide to the Abbeys of England and Wales''. London: Constable * Robinson, David (ed.), 2002: ''The Cistercian Abbeys of Britain''. London: B.T. Batsford

References

External links

Pictures of the church before and after the fire

British History Online: the Register and Records of Holme Cultram

{{Coord, 54.8454, -3.2829, type:landmark_region:GB, display=title Monasteries in Cumbria Cistercian monasteries in England 1538 disestablishments in England 1150 establishments in England Christian monasteries established in the 12th century Religious buildings and structures in the United Kingdom destroyed by arson Burial sites of the House of Bruce