Shap

Title

Shap

Also Known As

Happe, Hep, Hepp, Heppa, Heppe, Schapp, Shapp, Shepp, Vallis Stae. Mariae Magdalenae

Dates

Founded ca. 1192; dissolved 1540

Dedication

Mary Magdalene

Affiliation

Cockersand

Medieval Diocese

Carlisle

History

The Premonstratensian community at Preston Patrick moved to Shap in 1199. Shap's most well-known abbot was Richard Redman, who was abbot for almost 50 years, as well as Bishop of St Asaph, Exeter and Ely. However, its history is obscure due to a loss of the abbey's archives. Shap was suppressed in 1540/41, and the site passed into private hands.

Some limited excavations were undertaken in 1886-1888 and 1949-1961. Some ruins are extant on the site, as is a later farm house.

Heads of Community

Abbots

Walter, 13th c.?
Peter, fl. 1260
Robert I, fl. 1279
Roger, fl. 1311
John, 1315-1316
Lambert of Morland, ca. 1354-ca. 1379
Robert II Marshall (or Mareschall), 1379-1405
Robert III, fl. 1412
Richard I, fl. 1445
William Coke, fl. 1452
Richard II Redman, 1458-1505
Richard III Burgh (or Johnson), fl. 1510
Richard IV Baggot (or Evenhood), 1526-1540

Status

Abbey

Archival Sources

Carlisle, Cumbria Archive Centre

DMH 10/2/41 (1354)

Kendal, Cumbria Archive Centre

WPR 36/6/10 (1859; plan)

Kew, The National Archives

WORK 31/1681 (1951; plan)

WORK 31/1682 (1961; plan)

WORK 31/1683 (20th c.; plan)

WORK 31/1684 (20th c.; plan) 

Oxford, Bodleian Library

MS Dodsworth 45, fols. 17v-20v (17th c.; cartulary extract)

MS Dodsworth 159, fols. 181-189 (17th c.; cartulary extract) 

Swindon, Historic England Archive

AL0265/059/01 (1924; plan)

Bibliography

Gribbin, Anselm J. “La vie de Richard Redman, abbé de Shap, vicaire général de l’abbé de Prémontré, et évêque (env. 1458-1505).” In Abbatiat et abbés dans l?ordre de Prémontré, edited by Dominique-Marie Dauzet and Martine Plouvier, 295–310. Bibliotheca Victorina 17. Turnhout: Brepols Publishers, 2005. https://doi.org/10.1484/M.BV-EB.3.1454.

Hall, George. “Shap Abbey.” Westmorland Gazette, February 7, 1824.

Hawkins, Harry. “Records of Shap Abbey, Cumbria.” Monastic Research Bulletin 17 (2011): 22–23. https://www.york.ac.uk/media/borthwick/documents/publications/The%20Monastic%20Research%20Bulletin,%20Issue%2017%20(2011).pdf.

Lucas, Peter. Thomas Son of Gospatric and the Premonstratensian Canons of Preston Patrick & the Nature of Shap Abbey’s Link with the Westmorland Township After c.1201 to 1540. Kendal: PJYL Publishing, 2014.

Nicholson, Cornelius. “Shap Abbey and Lord Robert de Clifford.” Westmorland Gazette, August 30, 1862.

Ragg, F.W. “Shap and Rosgill and Some of the Early Owners.” Transactions of the Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society, Second Series, 14 (1914): 1–62. https://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/archiveDS/archiveDownload?t=arch-2055-1/dissemination/pdf/Article_Level_Pdf/tcwaas/002/1914/vol14/tcwaas_002_1914_vol14_0005.pdf.

———. “Two Documents Relating to Shap Abbey.” Transactions of the Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society, New Series, 9 (1909): 271–89.

Robinson, Jeremy Rowan, Jackie Fay, Kevin Grice, Brian Hardwick, Philip Minchom, and Mark Simpson. “Shap Abbey Grange.” Transactions of the Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society, Third Series, 23 (2023): 53–65.

Simpson, James. “Shap Abbey, Westmorland.” Westmorland Gazette, August 4, 1860.

The Kendal Mercury. “John de Veteripont, or Vipount.” November 3, 1877.

Westmorland Gazette. “Shap Abbey.” August 9, 1862.

Weston, G.F., and W.H. St John Hope. “The Premonstratensian Abbey of St Mary Magdalene at Shap, Westmorland.” Transactions of the Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society, First Series, 10 (1889): 286–314. https://doi.org/10.5284/1064147.

Whitwell, R.J., and W.N. Thompson. “Three Petitions of Shap Abbey.” Transactions of the Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society, Second Series, 5 (1905): 62–67. https://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/archiveDS/archiveDownload?t=arch-2055-1/dissemination/pdf/Article_Level_Pdf/tcwaas/002/1905/vol5/tcwaas_002_1905_vol5_0006.pdf.

Image Credit

Aerial view of Shap Abbey, 2004. Wikimedia.

Files

Collection

Northern England

Citation

“Shap,” A Premonstratensian Atlas, accessed October 16, 2026, https://yvonneseale.org/atlas/items/show/115.

Geolocation

Item Relations

This Item DependentOn Item: Cockersand
Item: Preston Patrick DependentOn This Item
Item: Bampton DependentOn This Item
Item: Milburn DependentOn This Item
Item: Warcop DependentOn This Item
Item: Appleby DependentOn This Item
Item: Sleddale DependentOn This Item