The Abbeys of Great Britain

by H. Claiborne Dixon

Owing to the aforementioned sudden dip in the land, the church has the singularity of being built north and south, instead of the usual east and west, but, to avoid confusion in the general description of the building, it will be best to consider that the church is in the usual position of east to west. The church in former times consisted of a nave of nine bays, a choir of seven bays (both with aisles), and north and south transepts with eastern aisles. The nave of the church has completely disappeared and the only ruins left are those of the chancel and transepts. These are chiefly of Early English work; the portions of an earlier building of the Norman period can plainly be seen in the lower part of the north and west wall in the north transept, and in the west wall of the south transept. The junction of these two styles is not difficult to discern, for apart from the dissimilarity in style, the whiteness of the stone used in the Early English period offers a great contrast to that used in the earlier era. Both transepts have eastern aisles, triforium and clerestory. The windows are Early English. The chancel (of seven bays) has a particularly beautiful triforium and the east window consists of a double tier of triple lancets, of the upper three the middle light is higher than the other two. This abbey can boast of having had some of the earliest glass introduced into the north of England inserted into its walls in 1140, also a bell bearing the date 1167, which is now at Leek. Of the other monastic buildings, the refectory on the south of the cloisters can still be inspected with delight by those who appreciate the beautiful work of their forefathers. This Early English dining hall was lighted with lancet-windows and had the usual lectorium in the west wall, where now a recess shows its former position. There is a good deal of Norman work in the monastic offices to the east of the refectory. The cloisters were to the south of the nave, the usual position, though in the case of this abbey they would not get the warmth generally obtained from a southern exposure. To the north of the village are the almonry and infirmary.

In tracing the early history of Rievaulx we find ourselves again in the regions of romance and tragedy. Dugdale in his Monasticon gives full credence to the story of Walter Espec, the brave soldier, who led his men at the battle of the Standard, and of whom Aeldred, Abbot of Rievaulx, third in the line of thirty-three incumbents, gives the following graphic description:—“An old man and full of days, quick-witted, prudent in council, moderate in peace, circumspect in war, a true friend, and a loyal subject. His stature was passing tall ... his hair was still black, his beard long and flowing, his forehead wide and noble, his eyes large and bright, his face broad, and well featured, his voice like the sound of a trumpet setting off his natural eloquence of speech with a certain majesty of sound.” “The aforesaid Walter,” so we read in the Monasticon, “had a son, called also Walter, who having unfortunately broken his neck, by a fall from his horse, his father resolved to make Christ Heir of part of his lands, and accordingly founded three monasteries.” Rievaulx was the third of these religious houses (Kirkham and Wardon being the other two), and its establishment was entrusted to certain monks from Clairvaux sent over by St Bernard himself. The house always retained the singular distinction accruing to it, owing to the friendship of its founders with the great saint.

[EASBY (Præmonstratensian)]

1152, Founded by Roaldus, Constable of Richmond—1379-99, Richard le Scrope of Bolton endows and enlarges the original monastery—The fabric dedicated to St Agatha—1424, Abbey consecrated by the Bishop of Dromore, acting as commissary to the Archbishop of York—1535, Dissolved—The screens and wooden stalls removed to Richmond Church. Annual revenue, £111, 17s. 11d.

The ruins of St Agatha’s Monastery can best be approached, after leaving Richmond, by following the northern bank of the Swale. A little to the south of this town of striking views, and at the end of a wonderful riverside walk, stand the remnants of the former extensive Præmonstratensian abbey of Easby. They are situated on the immediate brink of the river at the foot of a richly wooded eminence; and, clothed with masses of tangled ivy, present probably a far more pleasing picture than when in former days the irregularly built monastic structure still held its reverend walls entire and unspoiled from the hands of ruthless destroyers and the ravages of time. It is evident that the fabric was exceedingly badly planned, many unaccountable irregularities being easily observable. The north aisle of the choir, itself of extraordinary length, is far exceeded in this respect by its fellow, the south aisle; the cloisters vary in length from 100 to 63 feet; the angles in the refectory are in every case more or less than a right angle, and finally, the infirmary, instead of being, as was usual, on the sunny, sheltered side of the church, is placed beyond the north transept. This last instance seems indeed a violation of ordinary commonsense. The infirmary “discloses to us one of the most complete establishments of the kind, despite its comparatively small size, which has yet been scientifically examined.” To the south of the church is the irregular cloister garth in which stands the beautiful Early English chapter-house with its large Perpendicular window. The upper storey was rebuilt in the 15th century and was used for a library and sacristy. Quite an imposing range of buildings, of which the upper part was the refectory, stands on the south side of the cloisters. The east window and crypt are both of the time of Henry III. The guest house and other domestic offices occupy the west side of the contorted quadrangle, while a remarkable Norman arch, having exquisite dog-tooth moulding, still remains to indicate the foot of the former staircase which led to the canons’ sleeping apartments. Of the Abbey church only a few fragments of the chancel and north and south transepts testify to its previous existence. These are of Transitional and Early English work. The sacred building consisted formerly of a nave with aisles; north and south transepts, having eastern aisles; and a choir without aisles. The old gate house, built in the reign of Edward III., is in a perfect state of preservation, and guards the enclosure in which the Abbey and Parish Church of St Mary’s stand. Probably the lower part is Transitional and the upper Decorated work.

The history of Easby Abbey, from the reign of Edward III. until the Dissolution, is intimately associated with that of the famous family of Scrope. Richard, son of Henry Scrope, Chancellor to Richard II., made a grant to the canons of Easby of an annual rent of £150, in return for which the house was to maintain ten canons, to provide masses for certain people, and to support twenty-two poor men at the abbey for ever. In 1535 the net revenue of Easby was given as £188, 16s. 2d. (the abbey coming consequently under the order for suppression of monasteries whose income was below £200), but owing to many deductions its value was little over £111. These deductions included some quaint provisions for furthering the spiritual as well as the material welfare of the beneficiaries. Once a week, according to Grange, there was distributed to four poor and indigent people as much meat and drink as came to the annual value of £2, 15s. 11d., this being for the benefit of the soul of John Romaine, Archdeacon of Richmond. One pauper also received every day, from the feast of All Souls to the feast of the Circumcision, a flagon of ale and one loaf of bread (the paysloffe or loaf of peace), the idea being doubtless to help some of the poor over the worst part of the winter. For this purpose the sum of £1, 6s. 8d. was disbursed yearly; £4 on the feast of St Agatha for providing the poor with corn and fish, and a similar sum in providing alms for the poor at the supper of the Lord. These charities must have been missed by the poor in the neighbourhood after the dissolution of the abbey in 1535, at which time the house and lands were leased by the Crown to Lord Scrope for an annual rent of £283, 13s. 1d. The direct male line of the Scropes came to an end with the death of Immanuel, eleventh Lord Bolton and first Earl of Sunderland, when the property passed through the marriage of a daughter to its present possessors, the Powletts.

[WHITBY (Benedictine)]

657, Founded by Oswy, King of Northumbria, as a religious house for nuns—664, Great Council meets to discuss the date of Easter, and the question of the tonsure—787, Destroyed by the Danes—1067, Re-founded by William de Percy, who elects Reinfrid (a former monk of Evesham) abbot, and endows the monastery—Benedictine monks colonise here—1250-1316, The church, from being but a humble structure, grows during these years into the noble edifice which belongs to this settlement—1540, Dissolved. Annual revenue, £437, 2s.—1763, During a violent storm the south side of the nave blown down—1830, The tower falls.

The river Esk on its way to the sea divides the town of Whitby in two,—the west cliff covered with modern houses with foreground of sands, the east cliff, crowned by its ruined abbey, which overlooks the town from a height of 250 feet. The view seawards is magnificent, and the surrounding country is varied with dark hills, sometimes wooded, but oftener purple with heather. Looking north, the ruins face the broad expanse of the German Ocean, and are flanked by the heather-clad moors of Cleveland. On the east side of the river and below the abbey, the red old-fashioned houses rise tier upon tier up the cliff, making indeed the “haven under the hill.” The old Latin saying, “Bernard loved the valley, and Benedict the hill,” is well exemplified by the position of this Abbey of Streanaeshalch or “precipitous cliff.” The ruins are reached by a climb of 199 steps from the bustling quay below, and though somewhat scanty are of exceeding beauty and consist chiefly of Early English work. The chancel, which is of this period, has seven bays and a remarkably beautiful triforium. The east end consists of three stages of lancets, the centre group of which is the tallest and most elaborate. The north aisle of the choir is practically complete, and even retains some of its vaulting, but all the south aisle has disappeared. The north transept is of three bays and is architecturally the most perfect part of the church. It has an eastern aisle, and is of the same design as the chancel, having in the north wall the same grouping of lancets, but with the addition of a rose window above. Only a single column of the south transept remains. A portion of the west front (14th century) stands, showing a central doorway and a window, evidently inserted, of Perpendicular work, but of the nave only five bays of the north aisle wall and a single column of the north arcade still remain—the south side now consisting only of piles of dislodged masonry. It is possible to trace the foundations of the cloisters and chapter-house, the former of which occupied the whole length of the nave. In the Abbey House (to the south of the ruins) there is said to be a portion of the former domestic buildings—now known as the Prior’s Kitchen.

It is a matter of great regret that such a priceless example of English architectural workmanship as this Abbey of St Hilda should be allowed to fall away before the nation’s eyes. Being in such an exposed position, on the very brink of a high cliff, the ruins will rapidly decay, and we have forebodings that before the end of this 20th century there may be very little of importance left of this building—so exceptionally invested with national, religious and legendary interest.