Byland Abbey
Byland Abbey was one of Yorkshire's greatest Cistercian abbeys. It housed over 200 monks and lay brothers during its most prosperous years. Together with its neighbouring abbeys, Fountains and Rievaulx, it was one of the three shining lights of the north. It stayed as such from the late 12th century until its dissolution 1538.
What to See at Byland Abbey
Byland's church was the largest abbey church in Britain when it was built, in the 12th century. It was 100 m (328 ft) long and 41 m (135 ft) wide and its ruins are still impressive today.
The west facade is the most prominent. IT is the one you see from the road as you get close. It still rises high, with its once-spectacular rose window now severed in half. The layout of the entire monastery is still visible, including the extensive cloisters with the remains of the Collation porch and the stone seats of the lay brothers in the conversi's lane. In the presbytery and south transept, the original green and yellow floor tilings can still be seen. This covering, which was laid down in the 13th century in a series of complex geometric patterns, would have added a stunning finish to the complex, and today it is one of the monastery's key features. The onsite museum features some finely carved capitals and various archaeological finds from the abbey, as well as the only stone lectern base in England.
History - Cistercian monks search for a home
The abbey had a tumultuous and protracted beginning. Its story actually started in 1134, across the Pennines in Cumberland. In that year a colony of monks was sent from Furness to establish a community at Calder. After just 3 years there, Scottish raids in the area forced them to evacuate and return to Furness. They were not accepted back at their old home. Instead, with just their clothes, some books and a cart driven by 8 oxen, they headed east, to York.
Gundreda d'Aubigny takes pity
The foundation history of Byland states that a noblewoman, Gundreda d'Aubigny, met the monks on their travels. She was so affected by their pitiful appearance that she organised a place for them to live. Their new home was to be a small site at Hood. Gundreda's left them with her hermit relative, Robert de Alneto.
The move to Old Byland
The community expanded quickly, and the brothers soon outgrew their abode. Gundreda persuaded her son, Roger de Mowbray, to grant them a larger site. In 1142 they were given the vill and church at Old Byland. Old Byland was 4 miles north of the Abbey's present site and 1 mile from Rievaulx Abbey.
Cistercians were the noisy neibours
The proximity to Rievaulx proved to be a problem. The White Monks of Rievaulx complained that the bells of their new neighbours clashed with their own and caused confusion. In 1147 the Byland monks agreed to move again, this time to no too near by Stocking. They stayed at Stocking for 30 years. Then finally they moved to where they built Byland Abbey, New Byland.
The Cistercian monks enjoyed financial success at New Byland. This was thanks both to the patronage of wealthy landowners and the export of wool.
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