Field Visit
Date 23 October 1908
Event ID 1088459
Category Recording
Type Field Visit
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1088459
138. St Mary's Convent, Eccles.
The remains of St Mary's Convent, founded in 1165 for Cistercian nuns by, it is supposed, Gospatrick Earl of Dunbar, consist of some ruins at the west side of the churchyard adjoining the parish church of Eccles, and now forming the east wall of the rose-garden of Eccles House, on the site of the former mansion-house. There are two barrel-vaulted cells displaying on the north wall a blocked-up round-headed window and a small fragment of a stringed course enriched with a much-wasted chevron ornament. A number of carved stones, including two capitals of Transitional style, are lying about, also a very shallow bowl of stone with a broad projecting lip, the purpose of which is uncertain.
Font.
An ancient font stands in the garden. It is a plain circular bowl, perforated at the bottom: in external diameter 32 inches, internal 26 inches, and height 15 ½ inches.
See Ber. Nat. Club, 1890-1, p. 123; New Stat. Acct. (Ber.), p. 57.
RCAHMS 1915, visited 23rd October 1908.
OS Map: Ber., xxviii. NW.
