The Register Of The Priory Of St Bees Cumbria

The Register of the Priory of St Bees Please Note This Book Is In Latin

Journey back in time to the rugged coast of Cumberland and discover the ancestors who walked its shores.

Nestled between the Irish Sea and the fells of the Lake District, the historic Priory of St Bees has been the spiritual and administrative heart of its community for nearly a millennium. For the first time, its invaluable parish registers are made accessible in this meticulously transcribed and indexed edition. This is more than a book; it is a key to unlocking the lives of your Cumbrian forebears.

Whether your family were miners digging for iron ore, farmers tending the coastal fields, or mariners braving the seas, their stories are recorded here—in baptisms, marriages, and burials that span centuries of history.

Key Features of This Essential Genealogical Resource:

Comprehensive Transcripts: Full, faithful transcriptions of the original parish registers, capturing the authentic spellings and details as they were first recorded.
Centuries of Family Data: Covers the vital records of Baptisms, Marriages, and Burials for St Bees and its surrounding chapels from [Insert Date Range, e.g., 1560 to 1812].
Fully Indexed for Easy Search: A complete, easy-to-use index of names allows you to quickly locate your ancestors and trace their family lines without sifting through hundreds of pages.
Rich Historical Context: An insightful introduction provides the historical backdrop of the Priory, the parish, and the lives of its people, giving depth and meaning to your family tree.
Invaluable for Brick Walls: Discover maiden names, parentage, occupations, and residence details that can break down the toughest genealogical brick walls.
A Parish of Note: Famous Connections

The registers of St Bees don't just document ordinary lives; they are set against the backdrop of a parish that welcomed some of England's most notable figures. Owning this register allows you to walk in the footsteps of history and see how your ancestors' lives intersected with the famous.

St. Bega: The legendary Irish princess who fled an arranged marriage to found a religious cell here in the 7th century. The entire history of the parish is built upon her legacy, and your ancestors would have worshipped in the church that bears her name.

George Whitefield: The leader of the 18th-century Methodist revival and one of the most influential preachers of his era, Whitefield preached at St Bees Priory. Your ancestors may have been among the crowds who gathered to hear his powerful sermons.

The Wordsworth Family: While the poet William Wordsworth hailed from nearby Cockermouth, his beloved brother, John Wordsworth, a ship's captain for the East India Company, rests in the quiet churchyard of St Bees. His tragic death at sea in 1805 is a poignant part of the parish's history, and his grave is a point of pilgrimage for literature lovers. Your ancestors from that time would have known of this great loss.

Percy Bysshe Shelley: The famed Romantic poet spent time in the immediate vicinity, living in nearby Eskdale Hall before his university years. The wild, dramatic landscapes that inspired his work are the very same ones your ancestors called home.

Who is this book for?

Genealogists with Cumbrian ancestry, specifically in the former county of Cumberland.
Local Historians researching the social and economic history of St Bees and the West Cumbrian coast.
Anyone with a love for English history, seeking a direct connection to the past.
Don't let your family story remain untold. Add "The Register of the Priory of St Bees" to your library and begin your journey into the heart of your Cumbrian heritage today!