Fountains Abbey
Fountains was a Benedictine Abbey
founded in 1132, after a dispute occurred in St. Mary’s Abbey in York. The
Abbey was functioning until 1539 – when Henry VIII ordered the dissolution of
the monasteries. The nave was built in the XII century and XIII century in the
Norman style with stone coming from that same area. The transept and presbytery
were built in the XIV and XV centuries in Early English Gothic and
Perpendicular style. Fountains used to be a very rich abbey – the monks chose a
very fine area to build it, literally on the river Skell. The buildings are
still well maintained and the kitchens, the butteries, the Abbot’s house and
even the latrines, still exist. Fountains was a self-sustaining institution –
livestock and wheat were a central part of its economy, as well as fish taken
from the river and beer. All monks had a right of a loaf of bread and 4 liters
of beer everyday.
Comments
Post a Comment