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The Great Britain Guide

Abbeys & priories · North West England

Calder Abbey

Norman & medieval♿ Wheelchair: limited

Calder Abbey — Savigniac monastery in Cumbria, England, UK.

Calder Abbey, abbeys & priories in North West England

Wikimedia Commons contributors — see linked file page for photographer and licence licence

Plan your visit

Typical visit
45 min–1.5 h
Nearest railway station
Sellafield · 4.3 km
  • Family-friendly
  • Limited wheelchair access

About

Calder Abbey is an abbey, priory, or monastic site in the United Kingdom. Records date its origin to 1101. Heritage designation: scheduled monument. Affiliated with Catholicism. Wikidata describes it as: "Savigniac monastery in Cumbria, England, UK". Coordinates: 54.4441°, -3.4647°.

Photo gallery

Heritage listing

Calder Abbey in Cumbria was a Savigniac monastery founded in 1134 by Ranulph de Gernon, 2nd Earl of Chester, and moved to this site following a refoundation in 1142. It became Cistercian in 1148. It is near the village of Calderbridge.

From the Historic England List Entry under OGL v3.

From the Wikipedia article

Calder Abbey in Cumbria was a Savigniac monastery founded in 1134 by Ranulph de Gernon, 2nd Earl of Chester, and moved to this site following a refoundation in 1142. It became Cistercian in 1148. It is near the village of Calderbridge.

Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.

Background

History

Ranulf de Gernon (also known as Ranulph le Meschines) founded the abbey on 10 January 1134, and gave a site and a mill to the monks. It was a wooden building and occupied by twelve Savigniac monks from Furness Abbey under the abbot Gerold. Only four years later, in the midst of the political instability following the death of Henry I, David King of Scots sent Scottish raiders under William Fitz Duncan to raid the northern English counties. Calder Abbey was one of the victims, and the Scots raided they despoiled the Abbey and drove out the monks. This, and the poor endowment, led the monks to abandon the site, and they sought sanctuary at Furness Abbey. However, as Abbot Gerold would not…

Description

The Monk's Bridge, on Cold Fell, built by the monks of Calder, is the oldest packhorse bridge in Cumbria. It spans the River Calder, just upstream of the confluence with Friar Gill. Also known as "Matty Benn's bridge", it is still in use today and is open to the public.

Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Coordinates
54.4441, -3.4647
District
Cumberland
Parish
Ponsonby
Postcode
CA20 1DZ
Parliamentary constituency
Whitehaven and Workington
Established
1101
Nearest railway station
Sellafield4.3 km

Sources

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Frequently asked questions

Where is Calder Abbey?
Calder Abbey is in North-West England, United Kingdom (postcode CA20 1DZ), in the parish of Ponsonby.
When was Calder Abbey built?
Built or established in 1101.
Is Calder Abbey a listed building?
Calder Abbey is officially recognised as scheduled monument listed.
How do I get to Calder Abbey?
The nearest railway station is Sellafield, about 4.3 km away. Drivers can navigate to postcode CA20 1DZ.