Summary : Deserted Medieval village, monastic community and grange. A tile kiln at the grange supplied tile to Byland Abbey. A community of Savigniac monks from the hermitage at Hood (UID 57371) settled here on land granted to them by Roger de Mowbray in 1143, and the village was depopulated and re-planted at the present Old Byland (57157). The monks moved to Stocking (57386) in 1147, due to the inconveniently close proximity of Rievaulx Abbey, and the former monastery was apparently reduced to a grange. After 1147 the monastic site at Tile House was reduced to a grange, and later became the tile manufactory for Byland Abbey (56808). Earthworks at Tile House include the remains of buildings in the pastures north-west and south-west of the modern farm house. A tile kiln, or merely a heaped dump of kiln wasters, is sited immediately to the east of the farm house garden. Several hollow ways, boundary banks, embanked field boundaries and extractive pits of probable medieval date as well as further extractive pits of potential medieval or post medieval date are visible as earthworks on air photographs. The features may be associated with the monastic and lay settlements and tile manufacture recorded in the vicinity. With the exception of the boundary banks, the features are all extant on the latest 2009 vertical photography. |
More information : SE 566868. The original village of Byland, recorded in Domesday as 'Begeland' when three ploughteams, seven families, a priest and a wooden church are mentioned, was situated near Tile House Farm (Tylas Farm on OS 1:10 000 1979). (1-3) A community of Savigny (later Cistercian) monks from the hermitage at Hood (SE 58 SW) settled here on land granted to them by Roger de Mowbray in 1143, and the village was depopulated and re-planted at the present Old Byland (SE 58 NW ). The monks moved to Stocking (SE 57 NW ) in 1147, due to the inconveniently close proximity of Rievaulx Abbey, and the former village was apparently reduced to a grange. On a plan dated 1598 'Town Ings' are shown to the south of Tile House. (4-6) SE 566867. After 1147 the monastic site at Tile House was reduced to a grange, and later became the tile manufactory for Byland Abbey (SE 57 NW ). Earthworks at Tile House include the remains of buildings in the pastures north-west and south-west of the modern farm house. A tile kiln, or merely a heaped dump of kiln wasters, is sited immediately to the east of the farm house garden. (7) SE 566867. Remains of monastic buildings immediately east of Tilehouse house and garden on a terrace above the River Rye. Many roofing tiles with nibs and peg holes are scattered on the slopes. (8) No definite trace of any buildings, only amorphous mounds, hollows, occasional banks and quarry holes. A turf covered mound situated at SE 56638673 may be the kiln mentioned (by Authority 5) as it is set on a slope but there is no other evidence for this. No survey action. (9) (Centred SE 566867) A small area of disturbed ground with one or two possible house platforms. Supposed traditionally to be a temporary settlement associated with stone quarrying for the building of Rievaulx Abbey. (10)
Several hollow ways, boundary banks, embanked field boundaries and extractive pits of probable medieval date as well as further extractive pits of potential medieval or post medieval date are visible as earthworks on air photographs, centred at SE 5644 8673. The features may be associated with the monastic and lay settlements and tile manufacture located in the vicinity as recorded by authorities 1-10 above. A substantial bank with a breadth of approximately 7m is intermittently visible, overlain and levelled by post medieval narrow ridge and furrow; it provides a potential western boundary. An area measuring approximately half a hectare and located to the immediate south-west of Tylas Farm is visible as an array of subtle and amorphous banks and divots indicative of extraction, which may be associated with tile manufacture as recorded by authority 7 above. With the exception of the boundary banks, the features are all extant on the latest 2009 vertical photography. (11) |