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| The Foundation of Kirkstall Abbey |
| The Cistercian Order began in a small and obscure house in Burgundy during the very last years of the 11th century. Within fifty years the order had grown into a vast organisation with some three hundred monasteries in the countries of Western Europe. Amongst the members of the order could be counted influential writers and statesmen and a Cistercian sat on the papal throne. |
| The great monasteries of Rievaulx and Fountains, in Yorkshire, were founded in the year 1132. The two monasteries soon became the most influential Cistercian foundations in the north, if not all, of England, and dominated the religious life of Yorkshire for a considerable time. |
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The rapid expansion of the order was achieved
by each monastery creating daughter-monasteries, which, in turn,
spawned further monasteries. Rievaulx and Fountains proved amazingly fertile; Rievaulx creating five daughters and eleven granddaughters; Fountains creating eight daughter-houses, one of which was Kirkstall Abbey. |
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Original drawing (C) Leeds City Museum |
| The initial impetus for Kirkstall Abbey was provided by Henry de Lacy. Henry was the grandson of Ilbert de Lacy who received extensive lands from William the Conqueror following the Norman Invasion. Henry approached the abbot of Fountains and offered estates in Blackburnshire for a new Cistercian monastery. |
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On 19th May 1147 the nucleus of a community
set forth from Fountains and set about establishing a new order
at Barnoldswick. For a number of reasons the new site did not suit the brethren. A major factor was probably the unrest caused by the destruction of the local parish church - an act that would not have endeared the brothers to their new neighbours. |
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Abbot Alexander set off to find a new site. He came across a spot in Airedale where there was already a religious settlement. The abbot secured the site from the local landowner and the original residents were absorbed into the community - or dispossessed. Thus the community transferred from Barnoldswick to Kirkstall on 19th May 1152*, no doubt leaving the angry locals to rebuild their parish church. * the exact date is in dispute but this far away in time it's as good a date as any. |
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Serlo was one of the monks who was present at the establishment of Fountains Abbey and was one of the brothers who left for Barnoldswick and subsequently Kirkstall.
In the year 1207 Serlo narrated his story to Hugh de Kirkstall ..... |
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'In the year of the Incarnation of the Lord 1147, a certain man of noble rank, Henry, by name de Lacy, in the territory of York undertook the construction of a monastery of the Cistercian order.
Among these brethren, I, Serlo, was sent forth, a man now decrepit, as you see, and worn out with old age. The place of our habitation at first was called Bernolfwic (also Barnolfswet), which we called by a changed name--The Mount of St. Mary. We remained there for several years, suffering many discomforts of cold and hunger, partly because of the inclemency of the air and the ceaseless trouble of rain, partly because, the kingdom being in a turmoil, many a time our possessions were wasted by brigands. The site of our habitation therefore displeased us, and the abbey was reduced to a grange.
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| Hugh de Kirkstall gives us a much fuller version of events.... |
| Now there was in those days in the province of York a certain man of great possessions, and among the great folk of the kingdom most notable and most noteworthy, by name Henry de Lacey; and it fell out that he was sick for many days. The man grown penitent under the scourge of God, made a Vow to the Lord that he would build an abbey of the Cistercian order in honour of the glorious Virgin Mary and Mother of God, Mary. |
| He recovered and not unmindful of his vow straightaway caused the abbot of Fountains to be summoned to him, laid before him his intention described his vow and assigned to him by donation solemnly made a certain vill by name Barnoldswick with its appurtenances for the construction of an abbey, and Confirmed the same by his charter. |
| Now the said vill belonged to the fee of Hugh Bigod, Earl of Norfolk, and the said Henry had held it by rendering to the Earl annually five marks and one hawk a year old, though for many years previous to this time he had ceased payment. The abbot took the gift offered from the hand of the man, not knowing the matter to be the subject of dispute, and sending brethren built humble offices according to the form of the order, and called the place by a new name 'the Mount of St. Mary.' |
| So, the offices arranged according to custom, in the year of the Incarnation of our Lord one thousand one hundred and forty-seven, there was ordained abbot of the same place the venerable man the lord Alexander, prior of Fountains, who on that very day, namely, May 19th, was despatched from the abbey of Fountains with twelve monks and too lay brothers to the new abbey, which was called the Mount of Saint Mary. |
| At that time the Archbishop of York was Henry Murdac, of good memory, once abbot of Fountains, who with episcopal authority granted and confirmed the place itself with its appurtenances and the church of the same place free and quit and delivered of every claim to the monks there serving God. |
| Moreover there was a church at Barnoldswick , very ancient and founded long before, with four parochial vills, to wit Marton and another Marton, Bracewell and Stock besides the vill of Barnoldswick and two small vills appertaining, Elfwynetrop to wit, and Brogden of which the said monks were by this time in possession, after the removal of the inhabitants. On feast days the parishioners met at the church with the priest and clerks according to custom, and became a nuisance to the monastery and the brethren there residing. |
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Desiring therefore to provide for the peace
and quiet of the monks, the abbot it may be with some want of
consideration, pulled the church down to its foundations, in
the face of the protests of clerks and parishioners. And so no
small controversy arose concerning such an unusual and highhanded
proceeding. For the clerk who was rector and parson of the church, bearing this destruction hardly, brought the abbot and monks into court before the metropolitan ; when at length the parties appeared before the archbishop, thereupon appeal was made thence to the Apostolic See. And there in the presence of the Lord Pope the matter was brought to an issue in favour of the monks, and silence laid upon the opposing party, for the reason that it appeared a pious thing and worthy of favour, that a church should fall provided an abbey be constructed in its stead, so that the less good should yield to the greater, and that the case be gained by that party which would bring forth richer fruits of piety. |
| So, peace restored and litigation laid to rest, the brethren applied themselves to the profit of the monastery in greater quiet yet even so were they troubled by a double discomfort, for freebooters, it being time of war, would often carry off their effects, and a plague of rains continuing well nigh all the year over whelmed their crops For six years and more they remained there in unbroken poverty and lack of food and clothing. |
| Perceiving the situation of their settlement to be little fit for building a monastery, the abbot began to turn over in his mind the possibility of a change of site and transference of the monastery elsewhere |
| And it chanced at a certain time that while acting again on the business of his house, he passed through a certain valley, then wooded and shady (the name of the valley was Airedale, that is, the valley of a river called the Aire); and he found in the level parts of the same valley certain brethren in religious garb leading a hermit's life. |
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| Delighted with the pleasantness of the spot, he turned aside to question them about their manner of life, and the form of their religion, whence they came there, or who had bestowed on them that place for their habitation. And one of them answered him, whose name was Seleth and he as it were a master among them. |
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Born in the southern part of this kingdom,'
he said, "I came hither upon a revelation from heaven, For
when I was in the land of my birth, a voice came to me in my
sleep, saying thrice, 'Arise, Seleth, and go into the province
of York and seek diligently in the valley which is called Airedale
for a certain spot named Kirkstall. For there wilt thou provide
a habitation which shall be for the brethren for serving my Son.
''And do thou,' I said, tell me I pray who is thy son whom we
must serve?' I am Mary, and my son is called Jesus of Nazareth
the Saviour of the world. Waking I pondered with myself concerning
the revelation given as to what I should do, and casting my hope
on the Lord left my home folk without delay, and took up my journey,
and directed by her who called me, I came not without difficulty
to this valley which you see. Here then I first learnt from herdsmen
of cattle that this place in which we now live was called Kirkstall.
I was alone many days living on roots and herbs and alms which
neighbouring Christians ministered to me at the bidding of charity. Afterwards there joined me these brethren whom you now see, holding me for their rule and master. We live a life in common according to the form of the brethren of Leruth, (possibly Lerins, St Honorat de Tarascon founded a monastery there in 410), owning nothing individually, and seeking food and clothing by the labour of our hands. |
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Upon hearing these things the abbot began
to ponder in his mind concerning the site of the place and its
conditions, the pleasant character of the valley and the river
there flowing past, and the woods adjacent as being suitable
for the erection of workshops. And it seemed to him that the place was fair enough and fit for building an abbey upon it. He began then gently to admonish the brethren about the health and progress of their souls, putting before them the danger of their individual wills, the small number of the brethren, that they were disciples without a master, laymen without a priest, calling them to a greater perfection and a better form of religion. Then bidding farewell to the brethren he departed to Henry de Lacy, founder of the monastery. |
| Received by him with due honour he plies him about the matters of his house, the poverty of his brethren and the inconvenience of the place, describing the different troubles and annoyances, adding that he had found a spot very suitable and pleasant, and that it was easily possible for that property to come into his lordship. |
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Now the knight who was lord of that estate
was called William Peytvin. So common counsel was taken by the abbot and the founder how the affair might be carried most easily and quickly into effect. In pursuance of which the abbot calling the hermits together drew some to himself to be incorporated in the order; others took money and yielded him their right and habitation. |
| While Henry de Lacy summoning William Peytvin gained his assent, and a strife and quarrel that had existed between them being laid to rest, on that day did they become friends. So William Peytvin at the instance of Henry conferred on God and the monks the said abode of the hermits, with water and wood lying near, by metes and certain bounds, and confirmed the same by his charter for them to hold for ever, but at an annual rent of (number omitted) marks to be paid to himself and his heirs. The abbot therefore assured of a site where the place was more suitable, erected a basilica in honour of the Mother of God the ever Virgin Mary, and having arranged humble offices according to order called his monastery by a changed name, Kirkstall. |
| In the year of our Lord's Incarnation,' 1152 King Stephen reigning over England, Archbishop Roger presiding over the see of York on May 19th, the very day of the Virgin Potentiana, came the convent of monks from their first seat (now reduced to a grange) to the place which is now called Kirkstall; a place covered with woods and unproductive of crops, a place well nigh destitute of good things save timber and stone and a pleasant valley with the water of a river which flowed down its centre. |
| Furthermore, the water divided the boundaries of the fee of William Peytvin and that of William de Reinvill. The monks abiding on the northern side of the river held no possessions on the south bank. But by the favour of the Lord and the acquisition of the abbot they straightaway obtained the land from the centre of the river as far as the slope of the hill by certain metes and bounds. So taking their axe in hand they felled the woods and broke up their fallow ground like the sons of Ephraim they made unto themselves a place for a habitation, and reducing the thick bush to cultivation brought the niggard soil to grow rich with flourishing crops. And the Lord saw their labours and blessed them, and they were multiplied in a short while in the number of the brethren and the tale of their possessions. |
| For the abbot being a man of piety and prudence watched with unwearying sagacity over the progress of his house in every direction, and increased it as far as possible with just claims. And throughout Henry de Lacy founder of the monastery stood by him, now providing the fruits of harvest, now supplying money as the needs of the establishment required. |
| He had part in providing the buildings laid with his own hand the foundations of the church, and himself completed the whole fabric at his own cost. Meanwhile a dispute arose concerning the grange of Barnoldswick. For the Earl of Norfolk, Hugh surnamed Bigod, claimed it for his own domain, won it for him self in the court of the lord king, and caused the monks to be dispossessed by the judgment of the court through default of warranty. Overwhelmed by the loss of his own possessions the abbot approached the earl and falling prone at his feet stirred the man to pity. |
| At length an agreement was made between them that they should by gift of the earl take possession of the grange with its appurtenances to hold it of him and his heirs in perpetual alms on the annual payment of the ancient rent, namely five marks or a palfrey (a horse) of equal value, and one hawk. But as to this annual rent King Henry of good memory wrought that it be removed, diligently striving and persuading the earl that for the redemption of his sins he should confer the said grange with its appurtenances upon God and the monks in pure and perpetual alms. |
| And this was done as the charter of the said earl witnesses, and likewise the confirmation of the king that they have relating to it, but on the condition that all his days they should pay him this annual tribute, and after his death be free from all payment and quit for ever |
| So the abbot returned to his own house with the charter of the earl and the confirmation of the king, and these matters being favourably settled the Lord was blessed in all his gifts. And the house was increased in his days in herds and pastures, in lands and tenements, and these are the names of the places which by the favour of the Lord in his times he acquired. |
| First, Barnoldswick with Elfwynthorp and Brogden with its appurtenances. In Cliviger, one carucate of land with its appurtenances and pasture for horses and herds, very plentiful. Oldfield, Cookridge, Brearey, Horsforth, Allerton, Roundhay, Mickelthwait, Thorpe, a messuage in York, Hooton, and Bessacar, with two granges neighbouring to the abbey which are of the fee of William Peytvin. |
| In those days the buildings of Kirkstall were erected of stone and wood brought there, that is, the church and either dormitory of the monks to wit, and of the lay brethren, and either refectory, the cloister, and the chapter and other offices necessary within the abbey, and all these covered excellently with tiles. |
| The offices of the granges the abbot himself arranged, and ordained everything both outside and inside with wisdom. So diligently did he guard the ample woods that he had acquired under the favour of God for the benefit of those who were to follow him, that from them he took no material for building, but brought all together from other sources. For thirty and five years did he preside over the abbey of Kirkstall, a true abbot in deed and name, and being fulfilled in a good old age, an old man and full of years, he was gathered to his fathers. |
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Was the abbot a wise and prudent estate manager or an avaricious entrepreneur? It's hard to say now but whatever his motives the results were favourable to the area of Leeds enabling the whole area to share in the wealth the abbey generated. |
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In Kirkstall Abbey the country, let alone the city of Leeds, has a magnificent jewel. If the place was not hemmed in by railways, power lines and factories and the land not cut in half by a main road with the constant roar of traffic then Kirkstall might be one of the most famous monastic ruins in the world. An idea for future city leaders; re-route Abbey Road and re-unite the Abbey with the satellite Abbey House Museum. |
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