One of the first things I saw this time and had not - as far as I remember - noticed before was this fig tree growing aginst the wall of the largest structure. A fig tree, in the North of England? Well, have a closer look - the figs are already growing. I guess the old stone wall must give off enough warmth to keep the tree going.
This must be one of the most photographed views around the abbey; I know I have taken pictures of this huge window frame before, but it never looks the same with the ever-changing sky behind. A person standing below this window barely reaches as high as the decorative arches underneath.
Once you reach the outskirts of the ruins, you can get a better impression of their vastness. What a sight, and what a busy place it must have been when it was still an active abbey and monastery!
And to imagine that it all started in the year 1132, when 13 monks were fed up with the life at their former monastery, where there was too much emphasis on luxury and comfort and too little on faith and spirituality.
When they arrived, there was nothing in this valley, just plenty of trees and the river. With their own hands, they dug up the ground to plant some crops and built a small hut to live in. Those first years must have been incredibly hard; only their determination, deep faith and a good portion of stubbornness must have made survival possible.
Eventually, the abbey grew and prospered and became one of the largest and wealthiest in all of Europe. Only when Henry VIII decreed its closure over 400 years later, the abbey was left deserted and - as mentioned in my previous post - widely used as a convenient source for cheap building materials.
Don't know about you, but I am glad that people did not tear down all the walls and did not carry away every stone!
Walking away from the ruins towards Studley Royal, I found the view looking back so beautiful that I took a picture every two minutes or so.
One last glimpse at the abbey, before we turned round the bend. That part of the grounds is called Studley Royal and of very different character than the abbey, but still very peaceful and quiet. You'll see that in my next post.
Hello Meike:
ReplyDeleteAs you remark, one can barely imagine what life can have been like for those early monks when they settled there all that time ago. And how incredible that Henry VIII, or indeed anyone, should oversee the destruction of something so beautiful.
Hello Jane and Lance,
DeleteIt is a bit like when the Taliban destroyed the Buddha statues in the rocks. They couldn't see them for their beauty, they only saw them for what they found offensive to their own religion and power, and so they had to go.
Beautiful, shame that most of it was torn down.
ReplyDeleteAnd, considering how many centuries have passed, amazing how much is still standing!
DeleteMakes me wonder what we will tear down or throw away that future generations will treasure.
ReplyDeleteLoads, I'm afraid.
DeleteI visited Fountain Abbey on a family holiday in Britian 40 years ago (1974) - one of several abbey ruins we saw on the same trip. In spite of some photos and postcards in my album, the memories in my head are rather mixed up by now... But I do love wandering around in such places!
ReplyDeleteSo far, I've only been to Whitby and Fountains Abbey, never to Jervaulx, Rievaulx or any other in Yorkshire. Since Whitby is very different from Fountains, the two clearly stand apart from each other in my memory, both beautiful, but Fountains Abbey will probably always keep that special place in my heart.
DeleteYes, I too love what is left of Fountains Abbey.
ReplyDeleteIf their had been no Dissolution of the Monasteries all over England would they still exist and be as rich and powerful as they were before the Reformation?
I can’t imagine what history would have done to the all-powerful Church.
Interesting point, Friko, and definitely something to reflect on. Things may have continued as they did (and still do) in Italy, where the Church still is very rich and powerful (not that the Church in England is poor and powerless!).
DeleteI've just been reading mysteries set in the middle ages and am happy to imagine the life at Fountains Abbey. At least the ruins are left and I hope, being protected. It does seem to have a peaceful spirit, at least when seen in your pictures without people! Maybe someday............
ReplyDeleteEven with people about, the peaceful atmosphere remains, Kristi; most people just wander around quietly, or sit down on one of the lower walls a little apart from the larger structures. The National Trust looks after the abbey and its grounds very well.
DeleteThere's a certain irony that the abbey destined to become one of the wealthiest in the land was founded by monks seeking a simple and ascetic way of life. It's wonderful for us now to have these things to marvel over (and I'm the first in the queue for that) and doubtless a great many people over the centuries have enjoyed and benefitted from them however I always view the opulence and magnificence of these buildings and what they represent and wonder what a God would think of it all. Monuments built in His name to the glory of man's power over man?
ReplyDeleteI thought about that irony, too, Graham. Those 13 original monks did not live long enough to see the abbey so wealthy, but they would have certainly not been too happy about it.
DeleteGod couldn't probably care less about what people build in His name; he does not dwell in man-made structures anyway. I fully agree with you reg. the opulence and magnificence and of such buildings and what they can represent. But I also like to think that many of those involved in the building were really convinced they were doing this to the glory of God, and did it with honest hearts and in good faith.