lanercost

magnificent arches rise high above the medieval ruins

Lanercost is the village on the Howard estate at Narworth and contains the peaceful Lanercost Priory, founded in 1166 and disbanded during the Dissolution of the Monasteries in the reign of Henry VIII. Edward, I stayed at Lanercost in 1307 during one of his journeys to fight the Scots, but he was too ill to continue and died shortly afterwards at Burgh by Sands on the Solway coast, a monument to him can be found near the priory.

Part of its great 13th-century church is still in use today, and the roofless east end still stands to its full height, with a dramatic triple tier of arches. Within are fine burial monuments to the Dacre family, including the poignant Victorian effigy of four-month-old Elizabeth Dacre Howard.

The priory cloisters, with their beautiful vaulting, were converted into a Tudor mansion by the Dacres. They include the Dacre Tower, adapted from the monastic kitchen, and the Dacre Hall (not always accessible) with its splendid Jacobean chimneypiece. An ancient vicarage and a ‘vicar’s pele tower’ (exterior viewing only) complete Lanercost’s unforgettable setting. A nearby tearoom, although not run by English Heritage, is worth visiting. These are a great stop if you're taking the Hadrian's Wall Trail.

Dacre Banqueting Hall dates from 1586 and hosts craft fairs, and its church in the priory nave holds concerts and a fine exhibition of the building’s history. Recently some of the disused buildings have been converted into a café, shop and art gallery.