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Abbey Road, WIGTON, CA7 4SB

When the abbey was dissolved in 1538 the church of Holme Cultram Abbey was spared so that it could become the parish church, because the previous one at Newton Arlosh was too far from most of the parish. Unfortunately the church was very large and the maintenance cost more than the parish could afford, so the size of the church was drastically reduced.

This house seems to have been built from red sandstone blocks, presumably taken from the nearby Abbey church of St. Mary's, probably when the east end the church was demolished in 1727, or when the side aisles were removed in the early 19thC.

Does this building contain masonry from the nearby former Holme Cultram Abbey?

The present church has been formed from Holm Cultram Abbey, a Cistercian monastery that had been founded in 1150. Now an Anglican Church, there have been several alterations and restorations since the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1538. The church is a Grade I Listed Building. https://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/101144608-church-of-st-mary-holme-abbey#.WqhQQjFLGtU

Ordnance Survey 1GL bolt benchmark described on the Bench Mark Database at www.bench-marks.org.uk/bm25251

This was originally the church of a Cistercian monastery founded in 1150 by monks from Melrose, and it survived as the parish church after the dissolution of the monasteries by King Henry VIII. the present fabric incorporates restorations from 1703 until very recently, following a disastrous fire in 2006.

This was originally the church of a Cistercian monastery founded in 1150 by monks from Melrose, and it survived as the parish church after the dissolution of the monasteries by King Henry VIII. the present fabric incorporates restorations from 1703 until very recently, following a disastrous fire in 2006.

This Cistercian abbey was founded by monks from Melrose Abbey in 1150. Although its proximity to the Scottish border made it vulnerable to raids, it appears to have been a prosperous place in the early years of its existence, with benefactors from both sides of the Solway conferring gifts of land, fisheries and even a quarry. Large tracts of marshland around the Solway Firth were made suitable for grazing by the efforts of the monks. However, following a devastating raid by Robert the Bruce in 1319 the fortunes of the abbey changed and it struggled on until its dissolution in 1538, despite receiving alms for its repair from the Pope in the 15th century. Following the dissolution, the abbey church was allowed to continue to serve as the village's parish church and as a refuge and defence against the Scots. Nevertheless, the building, which was too large for local needs, began to deteriorate and in 1600 the great tower fell. In the 18th century the size of the church was significantly reduced as part of a restoration project; there was further work done in the 19th and 20th centuries. The building continues to serve as the parish church of St Mary despite damage done by a fire in 2006.