Conishead Priory facts for kids
Conishead Priory is a very large building near Ulverston in Cumbria, England. It's built in a style called Gothic Revival, which means it looks like old medieval castles and churches. The name "Conishead Priory" means "King's Hill Priory." Since 1976, this historic building has been home to a Buddhist community.
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History of Conishead Priory
A long time ago, in the 1100s, a group of religious people called Augustinian canons built a monastery here. It was first a hospital, then became a priory. It is believed to have been started around 1167.
This monastery closed down during the Dissolution of the Monasteries. This was when King Henry VIII stopped all monasteries in England in the 1500s. After that, the land and buildings were owned by different families over many years.
Building the Present Priory
The current grand building was started in 1821. The old house on the site was pulled down to make way for it. The first architect, Philip William Wyatt, faced problems and was replaced. Another architect, George Webster, then took over the project.
Building the priory took about 20 years to finish. It cost a lot of money, around £140,000, which was a huge amount back then! The owner, Thomas Richmond-Gale-Braddyll, ran into financial trouble. He had to sell the priory in 1850 because of bad investments.
Changes and New Uses
After being a private home, Conishead Priory was sold in 1878. It was turned into a fancy spa hotel. People came from all over to relax and enjoy the beautiful surroundings. The hotel was so popular that it even had its own railway station! The railway line was called the Bardsea Loop Line. You can still see parts of the old railway today.
In 1929, a group called the Durham Miners Welfare Committee bought the priory. They turned it into a special home where miners could go to get better after injuries. It opened in 1930 and could help up to 150 miners at a time.
During World War II, the priory became an emergency hospital. It treated many wounded servicemen. After the war, it went back to being a convalescent home for miners until 1970.
Conishead Priory Today
In 1972, the priory was sold again. There were plans to turn it back into a hotel or even a caravan park. However, these plans didn't work out.
Since 1976, Conishead Priory has been home to Buddhist communities. A special building called the Kadampa Temple for World Peace has also been built in the grounds. It is now a place for study and meditation.
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Conishead Priory
