BY ALLISON LEE
If ever there were a hamlet that might have come straight from a children’s fairy tale, it is Rievaulx in the Rye Valley, North Yorkshire. With its narrow, winding lanes, pretty houses—some with thatched roofs—and a quietness city dwellers can only dream of, it really is the quintessential English country village. What it lacks in amenities (you won’t find a corner shop or a pub here), it more than makes up for in quaintness.
I first went in search of Rievaulx Abbey on a Saturday about six weeks ago, but had to give up because there was no hope of securing a parking space in the small car park, and the hamlet itself had no suitable spots to park safely while exploring the surroundings. I decided to try again midweek in the hope that it would be quieter, and I was rewarded with a choice of spaces in the car park.
Was it worth going back? Most definitely. Aside from the tranquil walk around the tiny hamlet of Rievaulx, the Abbey itself is well worth a visit. The Abbey, now managed by English Heritage, has a small museum, gift shop, and café within the monument’s grounds.
Rievaulx Abbey was founded in 1132. Spiritually and architecturally, it was the most significant Cistercian abbey in England. Two early abbots—William and Aelred—became saints. At its height in the mid-12th century, Rievaulx was home to 140 monks and 500 lay brothers and servants.
The Cistercian Order emerged in France in the late 11th century and spread rapidly across Europe. One of the major reasons for its success was the rigour of its religious life. The order sought to live according to the purest possible interpretation of the Rule of St Benedict—its services were dignified and simple, which allowed more time for reading and manual work.
Despite the order’s austere art and architecture, the abbey’s magnificent buildings pay tribute to ingenious engineering solutions that harnessed the valley’s natural water supply. The monks created a sophisticated plumbing system that provided a supply of fresh water on tap, something that was unavailable to the majority of the population at that time.
In its time, Rievaulx was at the hub of a trade network that extended as far as Italy. It became very rich from the prized fleeces from the abbey’s flocks. However, from around 1270 to 1400, change came about, and epidemics devastated the abbey’s flocks, leaving the monastery in debt.
In addition, Rievaulx was badly affected by warfare between England and Scotland and was pillaged by the Scots in 1322. The Black Death in the mid-14th century also took a heavy toll, leaving just 15 monks and three lay brothers at Rievaulx by 1380.
The end of monastic life at Rievaulx came during the reign of Henry VIII. Officially, the reason given was that the monks no longer kept their religious observances; however, in truth, the king had both political and economic motives for destroying the monasteries.
The abbey was suppressed in December 1538, and the monks were cast out. However, they did receive pensions. Rievaulx was sold to Thomas Manners, Earl of Rutland, though the plate, bells, and lead from the roofs were reserved for the king. Manners then extracted everything else of value from the former monastery, quickly reducing it to ruins.
Allison Lee is a smallholder from North Yorkshire who has written for the Yorkshire Times and other publications. Her website can be accessed here.