In my younger days, don't giggle! I became obsessed with abbeys. I even did a course on them and had a 'viva' with a famous archaeologist of the time. I write that not to boast but to show what extremes I went through to do a study on a way of life I found fascinating. I was most interested in the Cistercian order, and my notes were on the Abbeys of Wiltshire. Stanley Abbey was just down the road as was Lacock and not too far away Malmesbury and Bradenstoke. Then further afield was Glastonbury, set in a magical myth history with an attendant hippy culture - life was interesting.
So when I eventually came to North Yorkshire I wanted to see the great Cistercian Abbeys up here. I never saw many but the two that stood out were Rievaulx and Byland Abbeys.
There is something about these shattered buildings that makes one gasp with awe at the fine detail of the stonework. The years of working in stone that went into building them. Then the greedy 16th century entrepreneurs and king who just wanted to change wives and who brought these magnificent buildings down to scrap value.
I visualised 'Utopia' in the dreams of the abbots and monks, as they crafted away at an independent life under the name of religious belief. Our churches still hold the memories of such craftmanship. Carved wood, stone faces and grotesque animals writhe around fonts and pillars. Aliens from another age, ones which we will never understand through the stories they told.
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Rievaulx is deep in a wooded valley, a perfect 'escape' from the outer world
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| The Abbey |
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| These tiles are very much like patchwork shapes but no 'flying geese' |
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| Sun and peace |
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| An entrance, fine detail on the columns |
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| Think this was the warming room |
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| An 'industrial area'. Water tanks maybe |
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| Here lies Abbot William |
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| Ancillary buildings - dormitories? |
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| Weird animals and cartoon figures |
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| So much stone was used |
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Last of all, a happy Paul. His old friend Chris from Hawaii is taking the photo.
I threw away the dissertation on Wiltshire Abbeys, sad really but life moves on, And this last photo sparked the thought of the North Yorkshire ones |
We always dragged the children around ruins of castles and abbeys so I've been to Rievaulx - massive! and others cared for by English Heritage and of course we have our very own Bury St Edmunds Abbey in Suffolk.
ReplyDeleteEnglish Heritage does a good job of looking after what remains of the past Sue. Though I like abbeys, castles I find cold and miserable.
DeleteThose pictures are astounding! I was impressed by the glimpse of them that I had, and none of them were as 'intact' as yours this one.
ReplyDeleteI think that we are all drawn to the idea of retreating and creating our own utopias these days.
The buildings were improved over the centuries Debby, it took years to reach their zenith but they are wonderful. As for Rievaulx being more intact than others, probably because it was in a deep valley they could not cart it out to the nearest town, which was Helmsley.
DeleteThose ruined and semi-ruined monastic building always draw me. Perhaps that's why I like Brother Cadfael so much (just found the DVDs at the library book sale.)
ReplyDeleteI remember reading those books and then the series on television that came after. A murder mystery monk.
DeleteAbsolutely astonishing. Vandalism. It was not so long ago for such buildings. We should still have them now.
ReplyDeleteI am not sure they would have been protected because they were beautiful. Greed is greed everywhere. They were a quarry also for the stones of the cottages of the little hamlet that sits next to the abbey.
DeleteI spent a period fascinated by these ruins, a continent away. I drew them, which earned me a very good grade in eighth or ninth grade.
ReplyDeleteHow extraordinary Joanne, difficult to draw though I should think.
ReplyDeleteMust mention Llanthony in the Usk valley. Jennie of Codlins and Cream knows this ruined abbey well as hidden in the valley further along a single track road is the darling little owl church of Capel y Fin. If you continue further on the single track road you reach Gospel Pass which offers amazing views of the Black mountains on one side and Hay Bluff on the other before helter skeltering down into Hay and some down to earth book browsing! Sarah in Sussex
ReplyDeleteHi Sarah, I know Llanthony Priory well from years ago. Though have never gone to Eric Gill's house along there or the Capel y Fin church. It is in a beautiful setting, and once when driving along there, my son and I saw a great rock that had rolled down the mountainside very recently. Hay on Wye is of course the destination for books and now of course the book festival. Also walking up the path behind the priory, up the mountain, we saw a dead skeleton sheep that had fallen into a small rivulet. It was gruesome and dramatic at the same time.
ReplyDeleteI spent a lot of time at Waverley Abbey in Surrey. I even worked there once. I love them all.
ReplyDeleteCraftsmanship at its best but carried out over a long period of time. I have often wondered about the building plans, the architectural know how that went into them Tom.
ReplyDeleteThe plans were drawn out on the ground by the masons. It all began with Solomon...
DeleteSo be it!
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