Calder Abbey & vicinity, Cumbria, UK
Mostly about summer 1971, with older material
About 1970, an attempt was made to open Calder Abbey to the public, and the owners sought grants for its maintenance. The scheme fell through, but for a short time it was possible to visit the ruins and the house built from their stones. My attempt to photograph an old print of the Abbey, kept in the house, was less than successful, so I have included some other book illustrations as a small compensation. Also in this selection is one of the most remarkable sights of the area, the Gosforth Cross, made about AD1000.
Click on the text captions to see enlarged pictures
| Calder Abbey, Cumbria, UK. Summer c1971. The church tower, chapter house etc. from south-west. | Calder Abbey, Cumbria, UK. Summer c1971. Old print of the Abbey (early 18th century?), hanging in the house. |
| Calder Abbey, Cumbria, UK. Summer c1971. View west through the north end of the dorter undercroft. | Gosforth, Cumbria, UK. Summer c1971. Cross in the churchyard, dated AD1000 approx. |
| Calder Abbey, Cumbria, UK. Summer c1971. Other side of arch seen in previous photo. | Gosforth, Cumbria, UK. Cross in the churchyard, dated AD1000 approx. Photo by Pettitt of Keswick, c1908. Enlarged image to show carvings. |
| Calder Abbey, Cumbria, UK. Summer c1971. The church tower. | Seascale, Cumbria, UK. View from the north (from George Philip & Son's "Concise Guide to the English Lakes", 1903) |
| Calder Abbey, Cumbria, UK. Summer c1971. Effigy of a knight in the north transept of the church (possibly one of the Fleming family, c1300). | Egremont, Cumbria, UK. View from the south-east by George Pickering, c1837. |
| Calder Abbey, Cumbria, UK. View by George Pickering, c1837. | Calder Hall nuclear power station (now Sellafield complex). Summer c1971. Advanced Gas-cooled Reactor building. |