There’s plenty to explore in one of Cumbria’s best-preserved monasteries. 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. There’s a big tearoom nearby (not managed by English Heritage, but definitely worth a visit!) These are a great stop if you’re taking the Hadrian’s Wall trail.
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