The Abbey of St. Mary of Fountains
Written: Aug 15 '04 (Updated Feb 28 '05)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Architecturally significant and culturally important site, beautiful location
Cons: Much of the site is not readily accessible by the handicapped
The Bottom Line: Fountains Abbey offers visitors a unique glimpse into the world of medieval monasticism. Its striking architecture and the beauty of its natural surroundings combine to ensure a memorable experience.
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| DAnneC's Full Review: Fountains Abbey & Studley Royal Estate |
Introduction
I’ve known about Fountains Abbey for many years. Indeed, long before Himself and I first visited Fountains with two English friends, I knew that it had been acknowledged as a World Heritage Site and I knew that the abbey’s ruins were the most extensive of their kind to be found anywhere in Europe. Still, knowing and experiencing are two different things. No matter how much you know about Fountains beforehand, it will likely shock the senses.
Located in northern Yorkshire in a secluded valley along the River Skell, Fountains was constructed in glorious isolation. Even today, one must actively seek the abbey in order to find it. Modern visitors making an initial approach from the Visitor Centre will see only the top of the church tower. Gradually, as one follows the path downward into the Skell valley, even that disappears. The path leads down through a parkland area, past Fountains Hall, through a somewhat wilder wooded area, and finally to the valley floor. Then, with a turn to the east, there is it—an explosion of warm-toned, honey-colored sandstone, an expanse of Norman and Gothic arches, pillars and colonnades, and the ragged remnants of walls.
Historical Overview
Construction on the Abbey of St. Mary of Fountains began late in 1132, when 13 dissident monks left the Benedictine house of St. Mary’s in York to establish a new, reform-minded community. Just under 3 years later, the new abbey was admitted to the Cistercian Order. The monks at Fountains practiced a simple and often austere lifestyle characterized by a near-subsistence diet and prolonged periods of silence. By the mid-13th century, the dedication and industriousness of the brothers had transformed Fountains into one of the richest religious communities in England. Wool from the abbey’s herds provided the chief source of revenue, but Fountains engaged in a number of industrial and agricultural activities—all of which contributed to its wealth.
In keeping with the values of the community that created it, Fountains is physically grand in scale, but its design is simple and relatively free of unnecessary embellishment. Cistercian architecture in general favored severity and efficiency over ornamentation for its own (or even God’s) sake. Forsaking the opulence practiced by contemporary churches of comparable wealth, the Cistercians limited their altar decorations to simple wooden crosses and iron candlesticks. Fountains thus served as a model for the Cistercian approach to efficiency, which in turn was intended to maximize opportunities for the monks to pursue their religious vocation.
In theory, the design and intent of the abbey complex were dedicated solely to the service and glory of God, but in fact, the monks and lay brothers at Fountains were subject to all the economic and political currents of their time. For example, in the 14th century a series of crop failures, raids from across the Scottish frontier, and the Black Death all contributed to economic chaos in general—a crisis that seriously threatened the abbey’s well-being. Even more crucial, however, was the political impact of the Reformation in England, which brought about the formal dissolution of the abbey in 1539.
Fountains Today
The ruins of the Abbey of St. Mary’s of Fountains are large and complex, and they are chock-full of interconnecting rooms and passageways. Visitors should allow at least 2 hours to explore the site—longer if possible. Highlights of our visit include the following:
Abbey Church. Leaving the footpath from the Visitor Centre, Himself and Yours Truly followed our British friends across a well-maintained expanse of lawn and toward the abbey church’s great west doorway. The grand scale of the church undeniably contributes to its pride of presence at Fountains. Even without its roof and windows, the church is a magnificent sight. Despite its ruined state, the grand scale—approximately 150 feet long from west to east—the Church evokes awe and admiration. When it was intact and still in use, it must have seemed overwhelming.
Entering through a large Norman arch that frames the church’s west doorway, we walked forward between two rows of Norman columns separating the nave from the north and south aisles. Directly opposite the doorway, just beyond the space that would have housed the high altar, we stared at the huge opening that once held the church’s so-called “perpendicular window.” Its high Gothic arch dates the window to the later decades of the abbey’s history. A smaller window of roughly the same design sits above (and virtually dwarfs) the Norman doorway. Viewed from the east at just the right angle, the two windows align to create the illusion of a tunnel, or perhaps a celestial path. The effect is striking—all the more so when one realizes that the illusion would not have been obvious had the two windows survived intact.
The south transept at Fountains ends with the high tower we had glimpsed from the Visitor Centre. The south transept houses the remains of a sacristy, a chapel, and a passageway leading to the Chapter House.
In general, The church’s Norman elements (e.g., the great west doorway and the columned nave) epitomize the austerity of Cistercian architecture, whereas the later perpendicular windows indicate a growing willingness to incorporate stylistic elements that were softer and more ornamental, if no less grand.
Cloister. The Cloister consists of a large enclosed courtyard with a stone fountain at its center. The Cloister is connected to other parts of the abbey by colonnades, passageways, and stairs. During its heyday, the monks of Fountains would have come here to conduct their private rituals of meditation and prayer. Even today, the Cloister encourages quite contemplation.
Chapter House. The colonnade on the east side of the Cloister provides entry into the Chapter House. It was here that the daily business of the community was conducted. For Fountains, the Chapter House is unique in that includes a higher level of ornamental detail than is found elsewhere in the abbey complex. Corbels for the arches that supported roof show a modest range of carved botanic detail. The decorative details suggest that by the time the Chapter House was completed, the monks at Fountains had somewhat relaxed their demands for austerity.
West Range. Few aspects of Fountains are more magnificent than the West Range. This vaulted room is more than 300 ft long and survives almost entirely intact. The room consists of a double row of vaults supported by a central row of columns and by corbelled arches on either side. During the abbey’s heyday, the West Range would have served as a refectory (or dining hall) for lay brothers in service to the community and it would have been partitioned into several smaller areas.
Monks’ Day Stairs. This wide stone stairway leads from the southeast corner of the Cloister to the monks’ dormitory. The stairs constitute yet another example of severe architecture on a grand scale, and in a literal sense, they are simply beautiful. The stairway also provides an ideal place for posing photographs to commemorate your visit. (The photo I snapped of my three “monks” is a treasured memento.)
River Skell. The monks of Fountains were careful to incorporate the River Skell as an integral element of the abbey, and visitors simply can’t go wrong by following the river’s course from the West Range to what remains of the monks’ infirmary. The infirmary complex was built on a stone platform actually constructed over the river. Much of the stonework used to reinforce and direct the Skell’s channel survives intact. In summer, several species of water-loving plants either drape over the channel openings or flourish in shallow water lined with dressed stones. The resulting “garden” is quite beautiful and, at least when I saw it, perfectly balanced by Mother Nature herself.
The Visitor Centre
To reach the Visitor Centre from Leeds, take the A61 to Ripon and head west on the B6108. From York take the A59 to Arrogate, then follow the A61 to Ripon. The centre serves both Fountains Abbey and nearby Studley Grange (which we did not visit). Facilities include a large carpark, a gift and bookshop, a tearoom, and immaculate toilets. For further information, visit the Fountains Abbey/Studley Grange website at http://www.fountainsabbey.org.uk/
Admission: (2004)
Adult - £5.50
Child - £3.00
Family - £15.00
© DAnneC/BawBaw, 2004
Recommended:
Yes
Best Time to Travel Here: Mar - May
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DAnneC
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Loves history, travel, gardens, and words in general
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