Dear Abbey...

Good Monday babes! Another fun week to begin, it's also Share-in-Style 'Summer' themed and since the weekend was anything but summer weather wise, I thought some of my holiday pictures fit in perfectly. Here I am at Fountains Abbey in North Yorkshire, amazing place that I love. You can literally feel the history as you explore and being completely surrounded by nature is pure bliss. I hope you enjoy it & be sure to join in on Sacramento's blog with everyone else too!! I did a history bit below for those who like to know more in depth about the places I visit. But don't feel you must read (and you don't have to tell me you didn't read it either - hahaha) But, I hope you enjoy it visually any ways. Have a great day dolls.

Loves & Loves

xoxoxoxox

~ Dainty History ~

*Note - I try and shorten a history bit as much as I can, but if you take too much out, then it leaves the person confused. There is so much more to learn & see about Fountains Abbey - check out the official website.*

After a dispute and riot at the Benedictine house of St. Mary's Abbey in York, Fountains Abbey was founded in 1132. 13 reform minded monks were exiled and taken under the protection of Thurstan, Archbishop of York. He provided them with a site in the valley of the River Skell in North Yorkshire, that had been described as 'more fit for wild beasts than men to inhabit'.

Three years passed by & these monks joined the Cistercian order, which suited them perfectly as they desired austerity and self-denial. They worked hard, lived mainly in silence, ate a diet that was barely above subsistence level, and wore the regulation habit of course undyed wool. 

Of the most important developments here was the introduction of the Cistercian system of lay brothers. Usually unable to read, they relieved monks from routine jobs. Many worked as masons, tanners, shoemakers, smiths and so on. Their main role however was to look after the abbey's vast flocks of ship that lived on the huge estate. 

This work led to great wealth and economic importance of Fountains Abbey. It would make the founding monks roll in their graves at this thought, by the middle of the 13 century the abbey was one of England's riches religious houses. Lay brothers encouraged the monks to extend beyond what was needed for self-sufficiency and then included mining lead, iron working, quarry stones and horse breeding.

During the 14th century there was an economic collapse due to the combined effects of bad harvests, Scots raids, the Black Death and financial mismanagement. The group of brothers reduced in size, much of the granges were leased out to tenant farmers & in the late 15th century dairy farming replaced sheep farming.

Despite all these financial problems, Fountains Abbey remained a big importance in the Cistercian Order. Abbots sat in Parliament and the Abbacy of Marmaduke Huby (1495-1526) marked a time of revival. Fountains Abbey once again flourished, but it's life was brought to an abrupt end in 1539 by Henry VIII's Dissolution of the Monasteries.

Months after, the abbey buildings stood empty in hope of being the site for the cathedral for a new Dales bishopric. But, it was never to be, by 1540 all the glass and lead from the dismantling of Fountains Abbey found its way to Ripon and York. The abbey and over 500 acres of land were sold by Henry VIII to Sir Richard Gresham, a merchant. It's been passed down through several generations of Sir. Richard's family then sold to Stephen Proctor who built Fountains Hall, an Elizabethan mansion built partly with the stone from the abbey's ruins, between 1598 and 1604. In 1767 it was sold for £18,000 to William Aislabie who landscaped the abbey ruins. In 1966, the Abbey was placed in the guardianship of The Department of Environment and the estate was purchased by the West Riding County Council who transferred this ownership to the North Yorkshire County council in 1974. The National Trust bought the 674-acre Abbey & Estate from the council in 1983. Visitors can come and fully explore the lands and ruins at their leisure. 

(All info comes from the official website, Wiki - revised in my own words)

{All photos of me, taken by Gorgeous Gavin. All architectural/Nature ones taken by Me, KizzyDoll. Please do not use without permission}

♥