| Summary : The standing remains of the Premonstratensian Abbey of St Agatha at Easby. The abbey was founded by Roald, Constable of Richmond Castle in 1155 and was suppressed in 1536. Church with cloister, sacristies, chapter house, refectory, dorter, guests' solar and reredorter to south and infirmary and abbot's accommodation to north. Of the standing remains the earliest are those of the late 12th century abbey church. The presbytery and later sacristy along with the surviving west range and parts of the infirmary are early 14th century. The buildings of the south and east ranges are early 13th century and the infirmary is largely of a similar date. In circa 1300, lodgings for the abbot were added west of the infirmary. The exact extent of the outer precinct, which would probably have contained a range of ancillary buildings such as barns, bakehouses and a brewhouse is uncertain, but an earthwork leads southwards from the gatehouse and then returns westwards towards the tithe barn. Foundations west of the infirmary are believed to represent some of the ancillary buildings. There was a hospital attached to the abbey for 22 poor men. Within the precinct is a functioning parish church dating from the 12th century; this has a rare series of 13th century wall paintings and a fragment of figurative stone sculpture dating to the 820s (see record 21621). |
More information : [NZ 1848 0029] (Remains of) St Agatha's Abbey [LB] (Premonstratensian)
[NZ 18590027] Gatehouse [LB] (1)
The well preserved remains of the Abbey and Gatehouse (see guide) are in the care of the MOW and are open to the public. See photographs. 1/1250 survey to be amended by the field surveyor. (2)
Easby. Premonstratensian Abbey of St Agatha founded 1151-52. Dissolved 1536-37. (3)
Ruins of the Abbey of St Agatha. Ruins of Premonstratensian Abbey. Late 12th century, early 13th century, c1300, early 14th and early 15th centuries. Church with cloister,sacristies, chapter house, refectory, dorter, guests' solar and reredorter to south and infirmary and abbots's accomodation to north. Founded 1155. Grade I.
Abbey Gatehouse (formerly listed with Easby Abbey ruins) Gatehouse to Premonstratensian Abbey, early 14th century. Sandstone, rubble with ashlar dressings. 2 storeys. Grade I. (4)
NZ 1861 0020. Easby Abbey Premonstratensian monastery: monastic precinct and ancillary buildings. The monument comprises the standing remains and inner precinct of the
monastery including gatehouse. Around the cloister buildings lay the open court or curia which formed the outer area of the precinct and would have contained a wide range of ancillary buildings such as barns, a bakehouse and brewhouse. Foundations west of the infirmary range are believed to represent some of these features. Included in these is the site of the medieval abbey mill (now occupied by Easby Abbey Mill). Scheduled (RSM) No 13283. (5)
Guide to the site and notes on the iconography in the refectory. (6,7)
Conservation statement. (8)
Brief description of the 12th-13th century cloister arcade. (9)
An additional source giving an overview of the history of the site and of the remains visible to visitors. (10)
A popular website with a selction of images of the site. Please note this is not English Heritage's "Images of England" website. (11)
In July 2010, English Heritage carried out a rapid field survey at Level 1 of the environs of Easby Abbey to inform presentation of the Guardianship site. The church stands on a 1m high platform defined on the east by a prominent scarp. This, and other features in the field immediately east of the church, were first recorded through a topographic survey by NAA, supported by geophysical survey by GSB; full reports were produced (12a). The exact extent of the outer precinct remains difficult to determine: although it might be assumed that an outer boundary would have followed the upper edge of the steep natural escarpment, there is no evidence to support this idea. However, a fairly prominent bank leads south from the surviving gatehouse and then turns westward towards the abbey's tithe barn, suggesting that this building could have lain on the outer precinct boundary, as is commonly the case. This earthwork appears to overlie broad ridge and furrow (1057700) and there are no obvious signs of building platforms or other features within the enclosed area. (12)
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