Welcome
We are into the last quarter of the year already! How did that happen?
We have been living back here for 2 years now and I feel like we haven’t seen as much in that time as we did the first time around in 2017-19! I’ll have to do something about that over the coming months!
With a new month comes the next category of places to explore.
For October we will be looking at Abbeys.
They were the largest monastic houses in England for centuries, destroyed during Henry VIIIs reign as part of the Dissolutions of the Monasteries, but many of these magnificent structures are still viewable (500 years later) for us to explore and understand the vital part they played in their local environment and beyond.
Our first stop this month is Yorkshire.
Enjoy Traveling Through History with me this week.
Michelle
Savvy Travel Historian
October - Abbeys
Rievaulx Abbey - Yorkshire
Background
Located within the North Yorkshire Moors National Park, Rievaulx Abbey (pronounced ree-VOH) is one of the first Cistercian abbeys in England. Founded in 1132 it became one of the most powerful and spiritually renowned centers of monasticism in Britain.
Located approximately one hour north of York, the village of Rievaulx is surrounded by the towns of Thirsk, Malton and Kirkbymoorside, whose names have become familiar to many, thanks to the hit TV series Downton Abbey.
[Thirsk was the town where Rose met Jack Ross in the coffee shop and Mr Tufton had his produce store. Malton the site of the Fatstock Show that one of the Downton pigs won and Miss Marigold was taken by Mrs Drew and Kirkbymoorside was where Mr Bates worked in the Red Lion pub after leaving Downton and returning to the area].
History
The location in Yorkshire was chosen as an out of the way quiet sanctuary, to enable a life of reflection and devotion away from distraction from the outside world and the abbey commenced with just 30 men but at its peak in the 1160s, a community of over 600 lived and worked here. Like a lot of these types of establishments, it records a history of religious devotion, prosperity and eventual decline.
Founded in 1132 by Walter Espec, a Norman nobleman and lord of nearby Helmsley, Rievaulx Abbey was established as part of the Cistercian order, a monastic movement known for its commitment to simplicity and austerity.
The abbey's name, "Rievaulx," is derived from the Old French term "Riau Vallis," meaning "Valley of the Rye," a reference to the nearby Rye River.
The early years of Rievaulx Abbey were marked by rapid growth and prosperity.
The Cistercian monks, guided by principles of self-sufficiency, engaged in agriculture and various industries. The abbey's strategic location facilitated economic success, as it became a center for iron smelting, lead mining, and timber production.
The monks' dedication to manual labor and their adherence to the Cistercian way of life contributed to the abbey becoming one of the wealthiest and most influential monastic institutions in medieval England and was renowned throughout the great courts of Scotland, France and the papal court in Rome.
Abbot Aelred
The abbey’s most famous abbot was Aelred, who joined Rievaulx (from the court of David I of Scotland), as a postulant but was quickly elected abbot in 1147. He had a reputation as a brilliant writer and England's most revered biblical scholar, Latin expert and pastoral master. He traveled widely and scholars estimate he was away from the abbey for up to three months every year.
His reputation was so great that it attracted many men to come and live at Rievaulx and within 100 years, 19 dependent ‘daughter’ monasteries were founded in the north of England and southern Scotland.
Many of the buildings we see on site today were started during his tenure to accommodate the growing population. The church, chapter house, east range of the cloister, abbot's lodgings and the great infirmary hall amongst them.
Aelred died on January 12, 1167 and was venerated soon after. His date of death is still listed, over 850 years later, in the Anglican and Catholic feast/saints days calendar.
Later Middle Ages
Records indicate that Rievalux’s popularity remained for around the next 100 years, although records are scant following Aelred’s death as no chronicles survive. In the 1220s the church was extended (as described below) but gradual decline was evident after this as town based monastic movements became more popular. Dominican and Franciscan friars provided competition to abbeys like Rievaulx for funds and recruits.
After 100 years, numbers living on site were half that of the 12th century.
The abbey's prosperity was also not immune to the challenges of time.
Crop and livestock diseases resulted in periods of bankruptcy where King Edward I had to appoint financial administrators to arrest the damage caused.
By 1301 only 30 lay brothers remained as all monks had dispersed to other houses. Additionally, war with the Scots in 1322 resulted in Rievaulx being plundered, with books, chalices and sacred ornaments stolen.
In the 14th century, during the Black Death, Rievaulx, like many other institutions, faced a decline in population and resources. The economic difficulties that followed further strained the abbey's fortunes. Some monastic buildings were demolished and others resized to reflect the decrease in population.
Its fortunes recovered slightly, just before the Dissolutions, with a record of increased rents from neighbouring lands and industrial activity.
Dissolution
Rievaulx survived as a monastery for 406 years and like so many others, it was a victim of the Dissolution of the Monasteries as a result of the break with the Roman Catholic Church and the formation of the Church of England by Henry VIII.
In 1530 its 37th abbot Edward Kirby was elected but he was a conservative churchman and he was removed from office after questioning Henry’s authority to break away from Rome and replaced by Rowland Blyton.
Rievaulx, being a prominent Cistercian monastery, became a focal point during the Pilgrimage of Grace in 1536. The uprising was fueled by widespread discontent among the local population, including both commoners and some members of the nobility, against the religious reforms, economic hardships, and perceived injustices resulting from the dissolution of monasteries.
The rebels sought to express their grievances and protect the monastic institutions, which were integral to the social and economic fabric of many communities. Rievaulx, with its considerable influence and economic contributions to the region, became a symbolic center for the rebellion.
Its role resulted in retribution from the king and Rievaulx was one of its casualties.
On December 3rd, 1538 Abbot Blyton and the remaining 21 monks gathered in the Chapter House and ‘voluntarily’ surrendered to the royal commissioners. They were luckier than most and all were granted pensions.
The 1st Earl of Rutland Thomas Manners purchased the estate and three separate inventories of the lands and its contents give us an accurate record of what was left at the end of this Cistercian monastery’s life. It is also the most accurate record than that of any other monastery in England.
Rutland began demolishing the buildings quickly and sold off roof timbers, fittings and window pains.
The houses in the village of Rievaulx (shown above) were required to pay rent for the first time and the ironworks that the monks had started, was turned into a profitable business.
Romanticism
In the 18th century, the picturesque and romantic qualities of the abbey's remains captured the imaginations of artists and poets, contributing to the popularisation of the Gothic Revival movement.
By the mid-19thC interest turned to the architecture and archaeology of places like Rievaulx, yet remarkably the Yorkshire Trust did not include it in the first works to be restored. It wasn’t until the 20thC when it was at imminent collapse, did some minor work take place with it ultimately being declared an Ancient Monument and ownership transferred to the Office of Works in 1917 with restoration work beginning in the 1920s.
Today, although many things about Rievaulx Abbey are still to be discovered, numerous historical and academic works have been created on the abbey and documentary evidence of life in medieval monastic culture has been strengthened by what has been found on the site and the archival records kept on its management.
Construction
The construction of Rievaulx is significant, in that it set the standard plan and style of Cistercian properties repeated across England and Europe and are some of the earliest surviving in continental Europe.
The following link allows you to see the full extent of the layout of Rievaulx Abbey.
https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/siteassets/home/visit/places-to-visit/rievaulx-abbey/history-and-stories/history/rievaulx-abbey-phased-plans.pdf
The Chapter House
The 12thC Chapter House design was revolutionary and not repeated elsewhere. It would have been frequently used for meetings and sermons by the abbots, in English, to enable the lay brothers to also understand them.
The Church
Excavations of the grass in the Cloisters shows it was the site of the earliest church the monks would have used (likely made from wood), before the main Church was built.
Evidence has been found to indicate two main periods of building for the abbey church. The oldest part dates back to around 1140 and a second phase eastern extension around 1230. The church, with its elegant Gothic design, stood as the centrepiece of the complex.
The seven-bay extension (one arch per bay) made it one of the longest in England (seen above).
Shrine and Sanctuary in the Presbytery
In the 1220s a magnificent shrine and sanctuary was built to honour Abbot Aelred in the new extension added to the church. In the photo below, the stone slab is all that is left of this area. The shrine formed part of the eastern extension and can be distinctly identified, as the stone is a much lighter colour here than on the older parts towards the Nave.
Sadly, the shrine itself was melted down during the Dissolution.
The Nave
The oldest parts of the church, including the Nave (shown at the far end in the photo above) are the most ruined. Archaeological evidence shows that this section was 5m lower than the extension in the foreground. It consisted of nine bays between each pier with bays two to five occupied by the lay brothers.
Bay six had a rood screen that divided the western part of the church from the eastern section used exclusively by the monks.
The monks Choir would have sat in the last bay, at the intersection of the nave & presbytery along the south & north transepts.
The Nave’s use would have remained this way for almost 100 years until the early 14thC when lay brothers at Cistercian monasteries almost disappeared and the stalls were removed which resulted in this area of the church being used more for processionals.
The South Transept
The south and north transepts of Rievaulx are not the same and historians are puzzled as to why. They were both from the original smaller church building, and in the extension, the south end, which was built first, has details in the middle story that is similar to the presbytery.
The sections where the old church and the new were joined, can be seen in the difference in the stone work colour.
The door at the end (in the photo below) was the one the monks would have used to enter the church for the 2am (summer) or 3:30am (winter) services each day, coming from their dormitory.
The Refectory
The Refectory, seen above in the distance, was the finest in all of Britain. In here the monks ate their meals in strict silence as they were required to listen to the day's readings delivered by one of the monks from a pulip.The tables would have been arranged around the outer slides of the walls, facing inwards.
Visiting
Of all the medieval places to visit in England, Rievaulx certainly occupies a Top 5 position. Its aspect is striking and the scale of the buildings remaining, show how magnificent it must have looked when in full use.
The area around the ruins we see today contain around 20 buildings not yet evacuated and 80 acres of water meadow. Original sections of the outer wall are also in existence.
Further details on Rievaulx’s history can be found here:
https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/rievaulx-abbey/history-and-stories/
Relevant Travel Information:
Rievaulx is operated by English Heritage and is open daily from April-Oct and during school holiday periods and weekends and Wed-Sun during winter and early spring.
https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/rievaulx-abbey/
The Abbey has a museum, a cafe and its own audio tour guide, which makes the visit here well worth adding to your itinerary when in the area.
https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/rievaulx-abbey/things-to-do/
North Yorkshire Moors
The North Yorkshire Moors, located in the northeast of England, boast a diverse geological history. You drive through the Moors along the A170 from Thirsk towards Scarborough.
The landscape is characterized by expansive heather-covered moorland, deep dales, and rugged cliffs. The underlying rocks include Jurassic sandstone, shale, and alum shale, contributing to the unique topography of the region.
The moors are dotted with archaeological remnants, including prehistoric stone circles, burial mounds, and ancient trackways. The area features the remains of medieval abbeys, such as Rievaulx Abbey, which add a layer of historical relevance to the landscape.
The North Yorkshire Moors have inspired numerous works of literature, perhaps most famously in Emily Bronte's novel Wuthering Heights. Bronte's descriptions of the desolate and atmospheric moorland have left an indelible mark on the perception of the region. The haunting beauty of the moors continues to captivate the imagination of writers, artists, and visitors alike.
Visiting in late August & September, is the best time to see about one third of the national park covered in pink and purple Heather in full bloom.
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Michelle is a speaker, author, content marketer, historian and mother of 3 boys.
After 25 years in business and as the ‘Content Marketing Queen’ for the past 12 years, she has helped countless small businesses understand and develop their content strategies and focus on a customer first approach.
Savvy Travel Historian is her passion project, and her weekly newsletter is available on Substack, Paragraph and Mirror. The latter two allows you to collect each Issue as an NFT.
Michelle is co-host of the Web3 By Three Podcast, a weekly show which talks about current stories in the Web3 space and how it applies to B2B marketing, sales and operations. The show is recorded live every Wednesday at 4pm EST/ 9pm UTC on LinkedIn, YouTube & Bolt+.
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