Cartmel, Lancashire, England
The ancient Village of Cartmel is famous for the 12th Century Cartmel Priory with its beautiful stained glass windows, modern sculptures, and ancient choir stalls. Leading off the village square, with its market cross, water pump, and fish slabs is the Cartmel Priory Gatehouse, now a Heritage Centre which depicts the history of the monastery, and the village.
The village also houses a variety of interesting shops and traditional pubs around its main square. Around the square and in the narrow, winding streets leading from it, are a variety of ancient and interesting buildings.
On the market square is Cartmel Village Shop, famous for its Sticky Toffee Pudding.
Cartmel hosts its highly popular steeple chase meetings at the spring and summer bank holidays, attracting visitors from across the country.
The Priory Church of St. Mary and St. Michael, Cartmel, Lancashire, England
The church was founded as a priory for the "regular canons of St. Augustine". (A priory is a house of men or women under religious vows headed by a prior or prioress. Priories are catholics insitutuions). It was built circa 1189 by William Marshall who later became Earl of Pembroke and Regent of England. He stipulated that the foundation should remain a priory, and never be elevated to an abbey.