Sawley Abbey

Sawley Abbey ( also Salley or Sallay ) is a former Cistercian monastery in England.

Location

The ruins of the monastery are located on the banks of the River Ribble in the village of Sawley in Lancashire (formerly West Riding of Yorkshire ), about 1/2 km north of road A59 from Preston to Harrogate.

History

The monastery was founded in 1147, donated by the Earl of Northampton William de Percy II as the third daughter monastery of Newminster Abbey, a daughter house of Fountains Abbey, which came from even the filiation of primary Clairvaux Abbey and colonized by monks from Newminster under Abbot Benedict. Economic difficulties in the early days were by foundations of Maud de Percy, Countess of Warwick, and daughter of William Percy, and another member of the Percy family to be overcome. 1296 Cistercian abbey founded in 1172 Stanlow Abbey from the River Mersey by Whalley was ( Whalley Abbey ) moved a few kilometers from Sawley Abbey, which led to complaints from Sawley, with which the General Chapter in 1305 dealt. 1381 was one of the Abbey besides the abbot 16 other monks. 1536 followed the Abbot Thomas Bolton William Trafford last abbot, who at the Pilgrimage of Grace took part against the abolition of the smaller monasteries by the crown in this year 1536 and 1537 was therefore hanged for treason. Sawley Abbey was drafted in 1536 by the Crown. Subsequently, the monastery was left to decay. On the monastery grounds, a large manor house, which was canceled in 1884. In the 19th century excavations took place under the Earl de Grey and securing work since 1970. Today the ruins are looked after by English Heritage.

Plant and buildings

From the monastery church only the extended several times, rectangular choir, which received two aisles in the 16th century, and the transept were essentially built with three side chapels ( some still with original floor tiles) in the east ( late 12th century ), from the ship only a short approach. In the ruins of the south transept, part of the Dormitoriumstreppe received. The exam was in the south (right) of the church. The refectory was perpendicular to the southern wing of the cloister, which was longer in the north-south direction than in an east-west direction.