MonasteryHelmsley

Rievaulx Abbey

The remains of the Abbey can be visited

Rievaulx Abbey, a former Cistercian abbey, is situated in a wooded valley near Helmsley in North Yorkshire, England. It was the first major Cistercian foundation in the country and quickly grew into one of the largest and most influential monasteries in the region.

History+

In 1132, Rievaulx Abbey was founded by twelve monks from Clairvaux to serve as a missionary center for the colonization of Northern England and Scotland. The community grew considerably within a short period; by 1142, the monastery already counted over 300 monks. Under Abbot Aelred of Rievaulx, the abbey housed around 650 choir monks and brothers at the time of his death. To create sufficient building space, the nearby River Rye was diverted three times in the 12th century. The monks successfully mined for lead and iron and sold the sheep's wool produced here throughout Europe. With 24 km² of land, 140 monks, and even more lay brothers, the abbey became a powerful institution.

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Source: Wikipedia · Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0 · Image: Colin Jackson

This description draws on the facts documented in the linked Wikipedia article; Wikipedia content is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Wording and editing: Mobile History.

Location: 54.2573, -1.1168