The Abbeys of Yorkshire

Fountains Abbey 1

ORIENTATION

	North Yorkshire Countryside 2

Lying approximately 320 km (200 mi) north of London, North Yorkshire is largely a picturesque patchwork of farms, stone walls, heather-covered moors and dramatic sea cliffs. The county stretches from the Yorkshire Dales' western boundary east to the sweeping coastline of the North Sea and from just beyond Leeds in the south up to the towns of Darlington and Middlesbrough in the north. The region, largely left untouched by the Industrial Revolution, lacks the larger manufacturing cities of other parts of Yorkshire and is instead a county of old world villages, market towns and small cities, the most notable of which is York, the main urban centre of the region as well as an important historical city.

HISTORY

Defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as “establishments occupied by a community of monks or nuns,” most abbeys were created in the 1100s by monks from mainland Europe although a few had Celtic origins as early as the 7th century AD. Many of the abbeys enjoy spectacular settings thanks to the land on which they are located having been bequeathed to the monasteries by the area's landed gentry. As a result, communities were formed around the abbeys of hundreds of monks and lay brothers, the latter being workers who lived in the monastery but relieved the monks of routine jobs such as looking after the land, serving as masons or tending herds of livestock. Together the monks and lay brothers turned the large tracks of lands into considerable wealth, mainly through the production of wool and textiles.

Rievaulx Abbey 3

The prominence of such structures and communities was not to last however and their demise was both sudden and catastrophic. While the ruins today exhibit the inevitable and gradual breakdown of the grand structures over the last 500 years, their decline was more the direct result of Henry VIII's separation from the Catholic Church of Rome in the mid 16th century and the Dissolution of the Monasteries that followed. In less than five years, between 1538 and 1541, the abbeys' assets–in the form of their lands, the wealth they produced, the opulent artifacts within the monasteries, even parts of the structures themselves – were all directed to the royal exchequer and assured their immediate destruction. Of the ruined abbeys today, almost all share one commonality, an absence of any roof. Constructed of lead, the roofs were of particular value and were quickly dismantled, leaving the abbeys open to the elements and unavoidable collapse but also adding to their ethereal beauty today.

One noticeable benefit of the abbeys' destruction are the handsome villages and halls that surround them. Many of these nearby villages and estates owe their appeal to the fine stone pillaged from the abbeys and used to construct the buildings that still stand today. Nevertheless, the ruins themselves remain an impressive display of architectural grandeur, striking natural beauty and visions of centuries gone by.

FEATURE ATTRACTIONS

This article features Yorkshire's four main abbeys, organised here in a clockwise circular tour leaving from either Leeds or York, although a visit to only one or two of the historical ruins is adequate to appreciate their distinctive beauty.

	Bolton Abbey Priory Ruins 4

Bolton Abbey
Located in the the Yorkshire Dales, approximately 35 km (22 mi) northwest of Leeds, lies Bolton Abbey, an extensive estate which includes the 12th century Priory Ruins, the village itself and a present-day yet historical parish church. Founded in 1154 by an Augustinian order, the Priory was built on land given to the Augustinian Canons by Lady Alice de Rumilly of the nearby Skipton Castle. While it is rumoured that she gave the land to the Canons as a tribute to her deceased son, this story is considered unlikely since the boy's signature reputedly appears on the Priory's deeds.

Set in the grounds of the meandering River Wharfe, Bolton Abbey enjoys an idyllic setting, apparently noticed by practically all who visit. From classical poetry and art to alternative rock and BBC plays, Bolton Abbey has left its impression. William Wordsworth's poem The White Doe of Rylstone was inspired by a visit to Bolton Abbey and the album cover of Faith by The Cure reportedly features a foggy picture of the ruins. It is not necessary, however, to know fame to be impressed with this relatively modest abbey and the often shroudy scene surrounding it, as portrayed in J.M.W. Turner's 1809 watercolour of the estate.

Fountains Abbey
Largely considered the most well-preserved Cistercian house in all of England, Fountains Abbey is a Grade One listed building and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Not surprisingly, the abbey is a hugely popular attraction well worth a visit to see the magnificent ruins and the 333 ha (822 acres) estate on which it is located. Founded in 1132 by 13 monks dissatisfied with their respective monasteries, the beautiful secluded valley that is home to Fountains was at the time thought to be uninhabitable by man. However, with access to woodlands for timber, quarries for stones and the River Skell providing an unlimited water supply, the monks and their sizable band of lay brothers soon became one of England's richest religious houses and of considerable importance, with the abbots sitting as members of parliament.

Like other abbeys, Fountains did not survive the Dissolution and its fine stonework was carted off to build other structures, in this case, Fountains Hall, a five-storey Jacobian mansion that was built in 1610 on the abbey's estate. Fountains is located 6.5 km (4 mi) west of the town of Ripon, halfway between the Yorkshire Dales and the North York Moors.

Cottage with Thatched Roof in Rievaulx Village 5

Rievaulx Abbey
If Fountains Abbey is an exhibit of imposing grandeur, Rievaulx Abbey is one of natural splendour. Thought by many to be the most beautiful monastic ruin in England, Rievaulx Abbey became one of the great Cistercian abbeys of England, second only to Fountains and arguably as worthy of a visit if not more so. The church and the monks refectory, constructed in the 12th and 13th centuries, remain significantly intact with many of the elaborate columns, molded arches and graceful, medieval windows still intact.

If visitors are not sufficiently impressed with the ruins themselves and the striking valley setting in which the abbey lies, the tiny village of Rievaulx that adjoins the ruins is every bit as memorable. Centuries-old cottages with traditional thatched roofs and colourful rose bushes are postcard perfect and hardly believable as the present, modern-day residences they are. Equally picturesque is the nearby market town of Helmsley, claimed by many to be the prettiest village in the north of England. Whether there are prettier places or not, Helmsley is nothing if not quaint and a great base from which to explore the abbeys.

Whitby Abbey
Whitby Abbey is unique from most other Yorkshire ruins in two ways–the abbey was a Benedictine order of Celtic heritage dating back to 657 AD, making the religious site much older than the Cistercian ruins, and whereas most of the other abbeys enjoy settings that speak of a peaceful idyll, Whitby Abbey's imposing location high on a cliff overlooking the North Sea is as dramatic as it is striking.

	The Town of Whitby and the River Esk 6

The original church was founded by the Anglo-Saxon King of Northumbria but fell to a Viking attack in 867 AD before being re-founded in the 11th century. The church's Viking and Celtic origins that predate the present ruins are evident in the ancient gravestones that surround the ruins, adding to the site's mystique and spectacular setting that reportedly providing inspiration for Bram Stoker's Dracula. After the Dissolution, the abbey was abandoned but its prominent location high above sea remained a landmark for sailors for centuries to come.

Visitors can drive directly to the abbey or can choose to climb the 199 steps that lead from the town below to the abbey looming above the sea cliff. Whitby in itself is worth a visit as an attractive seaside town and a base from which to explore the area's beaches, cliffs and coves. This unassuming little town is also home to the Captain Cook Memorial Museum since it was here that the now famous captain and explorer learned his skills as a sailor and set forth to the distant seas of the South Pacific.

Castle Howard 7

Each of the abbeys mentioned above are open year round and have information centres as well as entrance fees. For a more informal viewing of lesser-known (and less grand) abbeys, visitors can check out Byland Abbey in the tiny village of Easingwold, Jervaulx Abbey outside of Masham, Saint Mary's Abbey in York or Kirkstall Abbey in Leeds. Entrance to these abbeys and others are sometimes left unattended and rely on visitors' contributions for maintenance. The latter mention, Kirkstall Abbey, is particularly unique in that it is an 800 year old ruin smack dab in the midst of the traffic and bustle of Leeds. Many of England's abbeys are now owned by the National Trust conservation charity and in the care of English Heritage.

WHEN TO GO

Rain is a well-known possibility at any time in England and a visitor can experience grey skies in the peak of July as easily as in the dead of January. That said, however, there are a couple of compelling reasons to plan a visit between April and September. November through February are indisputably dark and often cold and wet with prolonged showers. Spring months on the other hand can be sunny and warm with an occasional downpour but also particularly scenic with the abundance of daffodils and spring vegetation about. September and October, likewise, offer a chance of reasonable weather and some reprieve from the immense crowds that abound during July and August. Temperatures vary but generally speaking, visitors to Yorkshire can expect average winter temperatures around 5°C (41°F) up to 20°C (68°F) in the peak of summer.

Another reason to visit during the more popular spring and summer months is the assurance that most, if not all, of the country's attractions, facilities and tourist information centres will be open. While the abbeys mentioned herein are open year round, other less popular monuments and grand houses often close in late fall for the winter months or have limited visiting hours.

GETTING AROUND

While public transit is both popular and readily available in England, touring the countryside and visiting the abbeys is best accomplished by car. Leeds or York, two of the area's main cities, are both good starting points for a tour of North Yorkshire and can easily be reached via bus or train service. Both cities are home to several multi-national car rental companies, making a self-guided circuit of the area easy to organise and allowing visitors the opportunity to fully explore the national parks, the country roads and the quaint villages that make up this beautiful region.

1. Klaus, K; c/o Wikipedia Commons; Fountains Abbey; Ripon, North Yorkshire, England
2. Weppler, S; c/o World Web Technologies; North Yorkshire Countryside; Yorkshire Dales, North Yorkshire, England
3. Weppler, S; c/o World Web Technologies; Rievaulx Abbey; Helmsley, North Yorkshire, England
4. Bolton Abbey Priory Ruins, Bolton Abbey, North Yorkshire, England
5. Weppler, S; c/o World Web Technologies; Cottage in Rievaulx Village; Helmsley, North Yorkshire, England
6. Whitby Bay Harbour, Whitby, North Yorkshire, England
7. Weppler, S; c/o World Web Technologies; Castle Howard; York, North Yorkshire, England