The Abbeys of Great Britain

by H. Claiborne Dixon

From the times of the Normans until the Dissolution of the monasteries, York Abbey was held in high esteem both for its learning and its munificence. The revenues were great, and its abbot had a seat in Parliament. It is quite evident that whatever was planned and executed for the erection of the sacred building was accomplished in the best possible way. The Benedictine order was both the richest and the most learned in the country, and no trouble seems to have been spared to make the Abbey of Our Lady of York a monument of perfect beauty. The disaster that fell upon it was absolute—

“The whole vast property with the dream-like church and majestic monastery was retained by the Crown, and the fairy buildings themselves were doomed to destruction after they had been rifled of their splendid plate, their hoard of sumptuous embroidery and needlework, their stores of parchment and vellum folios and manuscripts. The vast conventual buildings, wonders of masterly architecture, were blown up and levelled with the ground; and over their site was erected a new palace for the King, the carved stones being roughly hewn down to serve as mere rubble for its walls. This palace, or rather the major part of it, was speedily destroyed after Henry died, and that which was left was joined to the abbot’s lodgings, which were largely rebuilt and made into a residence for the Lords President of the North. Under James I. changes were made, and again under Charles the Martyr. What remains has now become a school for the blind.”—Cram.

After the Dissolution the church was left to the mercy of time and chance. The inhabitants of the city were allowed to take away stones if they required them to build or repair their dwellings; and finally, in 1701, York Castle needing reparation, the authorities levied on the Abbey itself. Later, in 1705, St Olive’s Church followed this dire example, and thus this once exquisite pile of English Gothic architecture became a veritable stone quarry. George I. allowed the Minster and St Mary’s, Beverley, to take stone as they required it for their own repairs; and after this, early in the 19th century, a lime kiln was set up near the church, and the carved stones of marvellous English workmanship made commercially valuable in the form of limestone.

The history of York Abbey is heartbreaking to lovers of art—for from every standpoint St Mary’s church stood as a perfect type of English work. How few people realise that within a few hundred yards of the world-famed minster are the remains of what was architecturally a far more glorious structure, and which, though not so great in length, possessed more beauty of workmanship than the venerable minster. English Gothic was at the height of its perfection when, in 1270, Abbot Simon of Warwick rebuilt the Abbey. Norman and French influences had entirely vanished to be superseded by the light and graceful outlines of Early English architectural work. The west front is less perfect than the rest of the building, and is believed to be part of the earlier structure previous to Abbot Simon’s rebuilding. There are still to be seen the fast mouldering wall of the north nave aisle—a portion of the west end, and one tower pillar, which, alas, has been cut off to about half of its original height. The foundations of the east arm of the church are now exposed—for which we must again thank the Yorkshire Philosophical Society. There are also a few stones left of the chapter-house, and this is all there is with which we can conjure up a faint idea of what this abbey must have been in the noontide of its glory. We must be grateful that it is now in the care of loving hands, and will henceforth stand as a lasting memory of an ancient house of learning and hospitality, and also of the most perfect and consummate architecture known to the Christian world.

[BYLAND (Cistercian)]

1134, Gerald, an abbot, leaves Furness Abbey, with twelve Brothers, for Calder—1137, Depredations of the Scots compel their return to the mother abbey, where they are refused admission—The brotherhood comes under the protection of Gundreda de Albini and Roger de Mowbray—1142, Gerald journeys to Savigny, where he renounces his allegiance to Furness—dies at York, and Robert, the Hermit of Hode, succeeds him—1143, The Brotherhood removes to Byland-on-the-Moor, and remains there five years—1148, During a thirty years’ sojourn at Stocking, a church and cloister built—1177, The community remove to the present site at Byland—1322, Byland sacked by the Scots under Bruce—1540, The Abbot of Byland surrenders to Henry VIII. Annual revenue, £238, 9s. 4d.

Byland Abbey is situated south of the Hambledon Hills, a mile and a half distant from Coxwold—most picturesque of villages, with its wide street, quaint cottages, ancient alms-houses, and overlooking all, its noble church on the hilltop. A lonely road leads from Coxwold to the abbey. After following its winding route a short distance, and eventually gaining the summit of a hill, the ruins of the abbey are seen in a hollow surrounded by cottages and a little stream—the Hambledon Hills rising majestically behind. Before reaching the abbey, one notices a cottage from the side of which springs a perfect Norman arch, belonging evidently to the domestic buildings which were situated to the south of the church.

Passing under the west front—an exquisite piece of Early English architecture—one is able to take a cursory glance at the remains of proud Byland. Exclusive of the west front and the end of the south transept, nothing is to be seen except the outer walls of the northern aisle of the nave—of the aisles of the north transept—of the east aisle of the south transept—and of the aisles of the chancel. Architecturally Byland Abbey was a type of light and graceful Transition at the time when pure Early English was definitely succeeding the Norman. It was the largest Cistercian church built in accordance with one design. But, by the length of the nave, the transverse arch at the east of the choir, and the very rarely seen west aisle of the transept, it differs somewhat from the other churches of the order. Mr J. R. Walbran, in an excellent description of the abbey, gives the following dimensions:—

Length of Nave	200	feet.
Width “	70	“	including aisles.
Length of Chancel	72	“	2 inches.
Width “	70	“	including aisles.
Length of Transept	135	“
Width “	74	“	including aisles.

Total length, according to measurement on plan, 328 feet 6 inches, practically the same length as Beverley Minster (334 feet).