Byland Abbey

Byland Abbey was built by monks who originated from Furness Abbey, in Cumbria on the west coast. The first buildings were built around 1155 and completed around 1195. In its heyday, it was considered one of the three great Northern monastaries, with Rievalux and Fountains. The west front is a beautiful example of early Gothic architecture, with the remains of what once must have been a magnificent rose window. It is thought that the rose window in the south trancept at the York Minster may have been modeled after Byland.

The above thumbnail and image was scanned from the English Heritage book "Byeland Abbey", and shows what the abbey may have looked like by the end of the 15th century.

byland_000.jpg 118.67 Kb View of the front of the West Front. This is the first thing one sees as they approach the abbey.	byland_001.jpg 106.81 Kb
byland_002.jpg 367.08 Kb Part of the tiling on the south transept.	byland_003.jpg 291.20 Kb Reconstructed arcading in the presbytery.
byland_004.jpg 417.71 Kb Detail of the circular pattern on the south transcept floor.	byland_005.jpg 274.46 Kb Looking towards the west, through the presbytery, down the nave.
byland_006.jpg 158.00 Kb Looking through a window at the east wall, to the tower in the west front.	byland_007.jpg 285.05 Kb Looking through the windows of the eastern wall toward the west front.
byland_008.jpg 327.66 Kb Remains of the fireplace in the hall of the Abbot's lodging.	byland_009.jpg 347.83 Kb perhaps a small bake oven?
byland_010.jpg 305.96 Kb Warming house fireplace. This was the only room where a fire was allowed for the monks to warm themselves. The fireplace was inserted around 1190.	byland_011.jpg 296.90 Kb Detail of the warming house fireplace.
byland_012.jpg 254.36 Kb View of what's left of the south trancept.	byland_013.jpg 248.00 Kb View of the west front and the wall of the nave.
byland_014.jpg 185.81 Kb It's all but invisible, but the greyish area to the right of the central door actually has a tracery of the central detail of what the rose window used to look like. It is only visible on a dull day.	byland_015.jpg 170.79 Kb

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