Byland Abbey by Hannah Blundell
Byland Abbey
Byland Abbey is in The North York Moors National Park in England.
Byland Abbey is comprised of four separate areas, between which, these contain the standing remains and inner precinct of the Cistercian monastery of St Mary. A variety of associated features including fishponds and other water-management earthworks, quarries, the sites of ancillary buildings, and the remains of monastic enclosures.
Archaeological features relating to the abbey also survive but are insufficiently understood. The extensive standing remains demonstrate the typical layout of a Cistercian monastery.
The earliest of the ruins at Byland Abbey are those of the lay-brothers’ quarters, which formed the west range of the cloister. These date to the foundation of the abbey in 1177 and include a reredorter (latrine) and drain as well as the ruins of a vaulted undercroft and the ‘lane’ giving the lay-brothers access to the abbey church.
The church formed the north range of the cloister and is of late Cistercian type, with square end and ambulatory, built in early Gothic style with round-arched windows but pointed vaults; except for parts of the nave, which include the west-front and the remains of its early 13th century wheel window. The church is late twelfth century.
A special feature at Byland is a number of large areas of medieval tiled floor, surviving throughout the church. Building at the abbey appears to have been completed by around 1200 and the only subsequent work was in minor alterations and additions, including that of a meat kitchen in the 15th century. This was built onto the existing south range which consisted of the kitchens, warming-house and frater or refectory.
In the east range were the sacristy, chapter house and parlour, and also the abbot’s lodging, monks’ dorter (dormitory) and reredorter, served by another drain.
Behind the east range lay the monks’ cemetery whilst an infirmary lay to the south. Also standing, 150 metres to the north-west, is the abbey gatehouse. The remains of this consist of a twelfth-century arch which spans the Byland to Oldstead road. A pier on the grass verge north of the road, the remains of a pedestrian archway and an area of collapsed masonry in the field to the north which, although overgrown, is believed to be the site of a room of the gatehouse.
On the south side of the road, a wall runs westward from the main archway and contains a small, well-preserved doorway. This wall is believed to have been the north wall of a porter’s lodge, and, along with the east wall, which is now incorporated into a modern farm building, and survives to a height of 6 metres.
In addition to its standing remains, Byland also possesses a wide range of other features surviving in the modern fields round about. These include parts of the precinct boundary, visible to west and south as a bank containing occasional evidence of walling, and field earthworks, including the enclosure banks of medieval closes.
Byland Abbey was founded in 1177 by the formerly Savignac monks of Old Byland, who had moved to Stocking in 1147 and become Cistercian before moving again to their final location near Wass. The monastery had an uneventful history and was dissolved in 1539 when its lands were granted to Sir William Pickering.
Created: 4 July 2021 Edited: 29 November 2023
Byland Abbey Information
Byland Abbey Address
65, Byland Abbey, York
YO61 4BD
Website: http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/byland-abbey/
Get directionsByland Abbey LiDAR Map
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0
Local History around Byland Abbey
There are some historic monuments around including:
Section of the Cleave Dyke system, known as the Casten Dike, 300m ENE of Hambleton InnTwo round barrows 200m NNE of Wombwell ArmsOld Byland monastic grange immediately to the west and north-west of Valley View FarmRound barrow on Sproxton Moor, 410m north of Tom Smith's CrossTwo round barrows on Yearsley Moor 550m south west of High Lions' LodgeRound barrow 330yds (300m) S of Barhouse FarmSection of the Cleave Dyke system 45m east of the visitors' centre at Sutton BankRound barrow 400m south east of Hill Fort WindypitSection of cross ridge dyke and hollow way 200m north west of Pond Head FarmRound barrow 600m north west of Garbutt FarmPit alignment forming part of the Cleave Dyke system 1000m north west of Dialstone FarmStudford RingFour round barrows on Yearsley Moor 200m south west of High Lions' LodgeRound barrow on Scawton Moor, 620m north west of High LodgeRound barrow 780m NNE of Waterloo Farm, the easternmost of three round barrows in Far Moor PlantationRound barrow 200m east of High BarnSquare barrow on Scawton Moor, adjacent to the quarry between Snip Gill Slack and Sword Rigg SlackSection of the Cleave Dyke system 200m south east of Yorkshire Gliding ClubRound barrow 650m east of South WoodsDropping Gill round cairnsHood Hill motte and baileyLinear dyke known as Double Dikes, in Waterloo PlantationByland Moor round cairnsRound barrow on Yearsley Moor 230m SSE of High Lions' LodgeSection of the Cleave Dyke system near High BarnByland Abbey Cistercian monastery: monastic precinct, water-management earthworks, enclosures, ancillary buildings and quarriesRound barrow 350m south of Long Plain FarmRound barrow 480m east of Yorkshire Gliding ClubBoltby Scar promontory fort and two round barrowsRound barrow on Scawton Moor, 390m north east of High LodgeRound barrow 710m NNE of Waterloo Farm, the southernmost of three round barrows in Far Moor PlantationPromontory fort at Roulston ScarNewlass Cistercian monastic grange adjacent to New Leys FarmRound barrow on Scawton Moor, 480m north east of High LodgeRound barrow 600m north east of South WoodsRound barrow 50m south east of Windyridge FarmRound barrow 350m north west of Pond Head FarmTwo sections of the Cleave Dyke system, one known as the Casten Dike, and a round barrow south of Kilburn Moor PlantationRound barrow on Scawton Moor, 700m ENE of High LodgeRound barrow on Yearsley Moor 400m south west of High Lions' LodgeRound barrow 230m east of Sutton Bank FarmDouble dykes on Painter RiggRound barrow 600m west of Grange FarmRound barrow 500m WNW of Pond Head FarmSection of cross ridge dyke and earthworks in Roman Plantation, Oulston MoorSection of Cleave Dyke, 1.4km long from Sneck Yate Plantation to east edge of Town's Pasture Wood including two pit alignments and round barrowDyke at the north eastern end of Stone Bridge Howl, 760m north west of Court House FarmWayside cross base on south side of the churchyard wall at ScawtonGriff Cross, wayside cross 800m NNE of Griff Farm on the road from Helmsley to RievaulxRound barrow 500m south east of Hill Fort WindypitRound barrow 150m north of Wombwell ArmsRound barrow 450m north west of Garbutt FarmRound barrow 810m NNE of Waterloo Farm, the northernmost of three round barrows in Far Moor PlantationRievaulx Abbey Cistercian monastery: inner and outer precinct, water-management works, agricultural features, enclosures and ancillary buildingsMedieval lordly residence immediately west of Church FarmRound barrow in Cliff PlantationRound barrow on Yearsley Moor 330m SSW of High Lions' LodgeTwo round barrows on Yearsley Moor 260m SSE of High Lions' LodgeSection of Cleave Dyke prehistoric boundary on Hambleton Down and World War II bombing decoy shelters north east and north of Garbutt FarmRound barrow 50m east of Windyridge FarmLong Grain round barrowsWayside cross known as Cooper Cross on Sutton BankGriff medieval settlement and Cistercian monastic grange, 400m west of Griff Farm.
