More information : (NZ 90241112) Abbey House (NR)
(NZ 90241114) Supposed (NAT) Banqueting Hall (NR)
(NZ 90171111) Supposed (NAT) Brewhouse (NR)
(NZ 90181120) Stables or Almshouses (NR) (1)
Abbey House is mainly Victorian and is now used as a private guest
house. See photograph. The group of buildings known as Abbey House
are supposed to stand at least partly on the site of the prior's
kitchen of Whitby, but there are few details on the south front which
are medieval. (2)
Abbey House was built by Francis Cholmley circa 1583-93 and
apparently rebuilt or remodelled in 1633-6, but only traces of odd
mullioned windows remain. Most of the front of the house is Victorian.
To the north, and connected with the house, is a Banqueting Hall
built between 1672-82 and one of the most ambitious of such buildings
in England. It was damaged by a gale in the mid 18th century. (3-6)
The supposed Brewhouse is a detached building apparently connected
with Abbey House and having a doorway "of architectural design".
There is no information that there were ever Almshouses west of
Abbey House beyond the fact that the adjoining field is called
Almshouse Close. (7)
NZ 902112. Old Manor House Wall. Scheduled. (8)
1. The Abbey House
1811
NZ 9011 2/10 23.2.54.
I
2.
Medieaval in origin and thought to incorporate part of the Abbot's
House. The plan is however a complicated one and the building containswork chiefly of the C16 but also of all subsequent periods. Main part is 3 storeys and attics. Patched ashlar with various windows - old sashes with architraves and cornices, mullioned and transomed stone windows, ordinary sashes, and 3-light stone mullioned windows, all irregularly placed. Stone cornice, parapet, pantiles and dormers.
Right hand wing projects at right angles. This is 3 storeys, ashlar,
bands. Sashes in late C17 stone architraves with triple keyblocks,
the end 4 windows having architraves, pulvinated friezes and
pediments. 2 windows to ground floor: First floor: 4 windows with
scrolled broken pediments. Ruined part to North was built by Sir
Hugh Cholmley in the reign of Charles II. This part was ruined in
a great wind circa 1775 and was never rebuilt. Monumental 2 storey
front elevation of 11 windows with stone architraves, firezes and
cornices, one with central Renaissance projecting feature in 2 stages
crowned by broken segmental pediment with foliage swags. Panelled
door in eaved surround flanked by Ionic columns, with similar columns
to sides of feature. Frieze and cornice. Similarly arranged
Corinthian column to first floor enclosing window with architrave.
Interior of house itself has 4 C16 panelled rooms, 2 C16 staircases
with balustades and newels, 2 immense kitchen fire arches of 4
centres, a pair of old stone fireplaces in a further room with
Caernarvon heads, 2 C17 bolection moulded fireplaces, a wall
containing a C12 round column with simple moulded capital, probably
reused, and other features. There are a few items of old portable
furniture belonging to the house. The property was bought by the
Cholmley family in 1555 after being held on lease by them since the
Reformation, and was built out of stone and materials from the
adjoining Abbey. It is said that in 1570 the house was of wood and
that it was rebuilt in 1626 in stone, but the evidence on this
point is not conclusive. NMR.
Abbey House and Youth Hostel form a group.
(9)
NZ 9030 1120. Whitby Abbey: Saxon double-house, post-Conquest
Benedictine monastery, C17 manor house & C14 cross. Scheduled
RSM No 13284. The Banqueting House only is Scheduled; Abbey
House is excluded. (10)
House incorporating part of the Abbot's House from Whitby Abbey. It was used as a domestic dwelling from 1541and partly rebuilt c 1583-93, remodelled in 1633-6 and in the 1860s. In 1869 the house was leased out as a hotel. The building is of three storeys constructed of ashlar and stone. The banqueting hall, situated to the N of the house was constructed in 1672-83 and damaged following storms in 1790. It was never repaired and is now maintained as a controlled ruin. There is also an alleged brewhouse. Grade I listed. (11-12)
A courtyard courtyard in front of the north range has been excavated and restored by English Heritage in 2009. This features a reconstructed copy of the so-called "Whitby Gladiator" statue. This was a lifesize 17th century bronze statue in turn probably based on the classical "Borghese Gladiator" by Agasias of Ephesus: the reconstruction was made using a further 17th century copy by Leseur displayed at WIndsor, the new copy was made by Rupert Harris. (13)
The "tour" of the Abbey complex in the 2010 English Heirage Guidebook includes a section on the Abbey House. (14)
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