File:The ruined abbeys of Yorkshire (1883) (14779213125).jpg

Identifier: ruinedabbeysofyo00lefr_0 (find matches)
Title: The ruined abbeys of Yorkshire
Year: 1883 (1880s)
Authors: Lefroy, William, 1836-1900
Subjects: Abbeys
Publisher: London, Seeley, Jackson, and Halliday
Contributing Library: Getty Research Institute
Digitizing Sponsor: Getty Research Institute

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s by their toil. As the Abbot listened, he considered the attrac-tions and advantages of the valley—its flowing riverand abundant timber for workshops. It seemed tohim an altogether desirable place, and he accordinglybegan to gently admonish the brethren. Had theyno fears for the safety and sanctification of their souls,poor masterless disciples and priestless laymen asthey were ? He set before them a more perfect way ings. Kirkstall Abbey, says Whitaker, is a monu-ment of the skill, the taste, and the perseverance ofa single man. Mr. Walbran discovered, from aninstrument of Archbishop Murdac in the treasuryof the Dean and Chapter of York, that, at therequest of Abbot Alexander and the monks ofKirkstall, the two chapels of Bracewell and Martonwere raised by the Archbishop to their presentdignity of mother churches, each with its ownparish.* This instrument is unfortunately not dated,but we may hope it is the record of a really generousand disinterested reparation, made when the good
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KIRKSTALL ABBEY. INTERIOR OF THE CHURCH. and a higher type of the religious life, and so departedto his patron. De Lacy approved the plan, and persuadedWilliam de Poictou to grant the lands in Airedaleto the monks in perpetuity at the rent of five marksannually. Then the Abbot, having made sure of amore suitable place for his monastery, built a churchin honour of the ever Virgin Mother of God, and suchhumble offices as were needful, and adopted for hismonastery the name of Kirkstall from that day*forward. For thirty-five years did the abbacy ofthis most practical ascetic last, and in that time hebegan and finished the church and monastic build- will of their old neighbours was no longer necessaryto the peace and comfort of the monks. Alexander was succeeded by Ralph Hageth, ofFountains, a good monk but bad manager, in whosetime the valuable Grange of Micklethwaitc was lostto Kirkstall. The monastery seems to have soughtto enforce its appeal to King Henry by actually, fora time, breaki

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