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FURNESS ABBEY

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The site of Furness Abbey. Originally founded in 1124 as a Savigniac monastery at Tulketh, in 1127 it moved to Furness. The original buildings are likely to have been temporary ones of wood whilst the monastery was built. The earliest of stone is likely to have been the church, and the south wall of the nave has the earliest surviving elements, dating to 1127-47. The Abbey was destroyed by the Scots in 1138, and recolonised in 1141, at which time it was substantially rebuilt. It became Cistercian in 1147 and prospered until it was dissolved in 1537. Demolition of many parts of the Abbey followed soon after the Dissolution, and in 1538 the Abbot's lodging was in use by the High Sheriff of Cumberland. In 1540 the land and revenues were annexed to the Duchy of Lancaster, and the house leased to Sir Thomas Curwen, follwed by hi son-in-law John Preston in 1546. At this time the hall was ruinous, although by 1671 there was a new house, probably based on the Abbot's lodgings to the north of the Abbey. The Abbey House (or Manor House) remained in the Preston family in the 17th and 18th centuries, and became a hotel in 1854. The house was probably originally U-shaped, with a main range and two wings. The estate passed to the Lowther family and then the Cavendishes but was no longer the main residence and the house fell into disuse. The ruins attracted attention for their picturesque nature in the 18th and 19th centuries and were frequently illustrated. Tourism to the site increased with the opening of the Furness Railway Station in the 19th century. The ruins came into the guardianship of the state in 1923.

There are substantial building remains and earthwork remains. The building remains include ruins of the cruciform church, the East range of the cloister, and the infirmary and chapel to the South of the cloister. Excavations have revealed the total plan, most of which remains as foundations outlined on the ground. It is in the care of English Heritage.

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[Centred at SD 21787172] Remains of FURNESS ABBEY [G.T] (Benedictine & Cistercian Founded A.D. 1127)

1123 a colony of monks of the Benedictine order from Savigny in Normandy was established at Tulketh near Preston [see SO 52 NW]. In 1127 this colony migrated to Furness, after land had been granted to the Abbey of Savigny by King Stephen, and a monastery was erected. In 1138 the abbey was destroyed by the Scots, and rebuilt when recolonised in 1141. In 1148 the house became Cistercian which had a marked effect on the history of the abbey and its buildings.

A grammar school was run by the monks and among the dependencies was a hospital and the important granges of Beaumont and Hawkshead. The hospital founded in the 13th cent and dissolved in 1537 was for 13 poor men who were kept by the Abbey as almsmen. About the time of the suppression 8 widows were also sustained there. In 1381 there were 23 monks at the abbey, 33 in 1534 and 39 in 1537. The net income in 1535 was over 805 pounds (2). The abbey was surrendered on 9th April 1537. Two months later the annual value was estimated at 1051 pounds 2s -3 -3/4d. It appears that dismantling of the buildings began immediately. In 1540 the lands and revenues of the abbey were annexed to the Duchy of Lancaster and so remained until the reign of James I. The site of the abbey then passed to the Prestons in whose family it remained for several generations then passing to the Lowthers and Cavendishes.

The standing portion of the ruins have existed in their present condition for a long time although the lower parts of the buildings were buried in rubbish until about 1640 when the church and other parts were cleared. The sites of the cloisters and other buildings were not dealt with until 1881-2. More excavations were done in 1896- 8.

Scheduled Ancient Monument under the guardianship of the Ministry of Works. (1-6)

Small scale excavation in 1985 to the east of the abbey museum revealed a substantial sandstone drain and two lengths of walling dated to the monastic period by associated pottery. (7)

Large scale survey of the upstanding monastic fabric begun in 1985. Ongoing (1986). (8)

The precinct of Furness Abbey contains a number of earthwork features including quarries, boundary banks, trackways, cultivation remains and building platforms as well as other, unclassifiable features. Service trenches in the low lying part of Amphitheatre Field have
revealed a great depth of archaeological deposits (10). The southern part of the precinct was surveyed by RCHME in 1989. The four banks and ditches apparently sub-dividing the precinct and lying perpendicular to the precinct wall on the south side of Amphitheatre Field (SD 218 715 - SD 221 715) survive to about 0.7 m high, though one (the most easterly) has been severely reduced by cultivation. Their relationship to the precinct wall is uncertain but at least two of them block the trackway which runs along the top of the slope.

The quarries, building platforms and some later features are recorded separately, and there is an archive account to accompany the RCHME plan. (9)

SD 21837175 Furness Abbey, Savignac and Cistercian monasteries; precinct wall, great gatehouse, 'chapel outside the gates', south-west gateway and earthworks. (11)

Furness Abbey including all medieval remains in care of English Heritage. Grade 1.
Capella Extra Portas with attached walls. Ruined chapel, dated to c1300. Grade 1.
Gateway adjoining Capella Extra Portis. Gateway to the abbey precinct; post-reformation, probably 16th century reusing Medieval material. On the site of the original outer gate of the abbey precinct. Grade 1.
Furness Abbey Wall The Medieval precinct wall of the Abbey Grade 1. Furness Abbey, former custodian's cottage. The remnant of a larger Medieval building. Grade 2. (12)

Additional reference. (13)

English Heritage is undertaking emergency conservation works to stop the ruined Abbey church sinking into the soft ground. This follows earlier routine inspections which revealed serious cracks in the walls. Medieval masons used large pieces of oak in the foundations and after 500 years, this timber is now gradually giving way. (14)

A full history and description of the site is presented in the Conservation Statement for Furness Abbey. The site of Furness Abbey. Originally founded in 1124 as a Savigniac monastery at Tulketh, in 1127 it moved to Furness. The original buildings are likely to have been temporary ones of wood whilst the monastery was built. The earliest of stone is likely to have been the church, and the south wall of the nave has the earliest surviving elements, dating to 1127-47. The Abbey was destroyed by the Scots in 1138, and recolonised in 1141, at which time it was substantially rebuilt. It became Cistercian in 1147 and prospered until it was dissolved in 1537. Demolition of many parts of the Abbey followed soon after the Dissolution, and in 1538 the Abbot's lodging was in use by the High Sheriff of Cumberland. In 1540 the land and revenues were annexed to the Duchy of Lancaster, and the house leased to Sir Thomas Curwen, follwed by hi son-in-law John Preston in 1546. At this time the hall was ruinous, although by 1671 there was a new house, probably based on the Abbot's lodgings to the north of the Abbey. The Abbey House (or Manor House) remained in the Preston family in the 17th and 18th centuries, and became a hotel in 1854. The house was probably originally U-shaped, with a main range and two wings. The estate passed to the Lowther family and then the Cavendishes but was no longer the main residence and the house fell into disuse. The ruins attracted attention for their picturesque nature in the 18th and 19th centuries and were frequently illustrated. Tourism to the site increased with the opening of the Furness Railway Station in the 19th century. The ruins came into the guardianship of the state in 1923. (15)

SOURCE TEXT

( 1) Oral information, correspondence (not archived) or staff comments

( 2) Ordnance Survey Map (Scale / Date)

OS 1:2500 1956

(3) edited by William Farrer and J Brownbill, M.A. 1908 The Victoria history of the county of Lancaster, volume two

The Victoria history of the counties of England Page(s)114-30

(4) Field Investigators Comments

F1 EG 24-JUN-58

(5) by David Knowles and R Neville Hadcock 1953 Medieval religious houses : England and Wales

Page(s)109, 272

(6) Field Investigators Comments

F2 EG 24-JUN-58

(7) Medieval archaeology : journal of the Society for Medieval Archaeology

(Youngs et al) 30, 1986 Page(s)126

(8) Medieval archaeology : journal of the Society for Medieval Archaeology

(Youngs et al) 31, 1987 Page(s)119

(9) Field Investigators Comments

Mark Bowden/17-APR-1989/RCHME: Furness Abbey Survey

(10) Oral information, correspondence (not archived) or staff comments

(11) Scheduled Monument Notification

15-JAN-1992

(12) List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest

Borough of Barrow in Furness, Cumbria, 20-DEC-1993 Page(s)17-21

(13) by David Knowles and R Neville Hadcock 1971 Medieval religious houses in England and Wales

Page(s)119

(14) World Wide Web page

English Heritage, 2011. http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/properties/furness-abbey/ [Accessed 18-MAY-2011]

(15) Keevill Heritage Consultancy 2004 Furness Abbey, Cumbria: conservation statement

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