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ST MARYS ABBEY

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The now ruined St Mary's Abbey was originally founded as the minster of St Olave at Galmanho before 1055, but had been re-established by 1068 as a Benedictine monastery as part of an exchange of land between the Archbishop of York and monk Stephen of Whitby. Following a visit by William Rufus circa 1086-9, the church was found to be too small for the brethren and William granted land adjacent to the church to expand the abbey. A new church was built and rededicated to St Mary. It was the first monastic establishment founded in Yorkshire after the Conquest and became one of the wealthiest abbeys of the order. The monastery also had a mitred Abbot who sat in the House of Lords. In 1539 the abbey was dissolved by Henry VIII and acquired by the Crown for the northern headquarters of the King's Council.

The chief portions remaining are the late 13th century north aisle with arcading and traceried windows, the adjoining west wall and doorway, most of the 13th century precinct wall, towers and gatehouse. The present hospitium is a modern restoration.

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[SE 59945217] Remains of St. Mary's Abbey [G.T.]
Benedictine, founded AD 1088-9)
[SE 5976 5204] Tower [G.T.]
[SE 5984 5206] The Hospitium [G.T.]
[SE 5998 5234] Tower [G.T.]
Abbey Wall [G.T.] [4 places]
[SE 5994 5228] Tower [GT] (1)

St. Mary's Abbey of Benedictine Monks was founded 1098-9. Extensive remains include the church nave, most of the 13th century precinct wall, towers and gatehouse. The present hospitium is a modern restoration. A scheduled ancient monument. (2-4)

The remains of the abbey and precint wall are in a good state of preservation. GPs AO.63.111.4 and AO.63.111.5 show the North and North West aspects of the abbey church,GP.AO.63.111.6 shows the SW aspect of the precinct wall and tower at SE 5998 5234,and GP AO63. 111.7 shows the remains of the gateway from the S.E. (5)

The remains of the Abbey of the Blessed Virgin Mary are the ruins of a Bendictine Abbey. The first monastic establishment found in Yorkshire after the Conquest. Refounded in 1098 by William Rufus and dedicated by him. It became one of the wealthiest Abbeys of the Order and had a mitred Abbot who sat in the House of Lords. Monks from St.Mary's founded Fountains Abbey. The chief portions remaining are the late C13 north aisle with arcading and traceried windows, the adjoining west wall and doorway, and extensive foundations. The richly carved late Norman vestibule to the Chapter House and the calefactory fireplace exist in situ under the Tempest Anderson Hall of the Yorkshire Museum (q.v.). A.M. (RCHM Vol IV, Monument 4).
(6)

St. Mary's Abbey SCHEDULED York- SE 601523.
St. Mary's Abbey " " " precinct wall. (7)

Listed. (8,9)

After the Dissolution, part of the complex was retained for use as an administrative centre of the Council of the North,and remained so until 1641. (10)

SOURCE TEXT

( 1) Ordnance Survey Map (Scale / Date)

OS 1:250 1961.

( 2) edited by P M Tillott 1961 A history of Yorkshire: the city of York

The Victoria history of the counties of England Page(s)357-60

( 3) by David Knowles and R Neville Hadcock 1953 Medieval religious houses : England and Wales

Page(s)82

( 4) General reference

List Ancient Monuments 1961 (Ministry of Works) Page(s)106

( 5) Field Investigators Comments

F1 RL 04-JUN-63

( 6) List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest

DOE (HHR) City of York, North Yorkshire, June 1983, 31-32, 249-250

( 7) by Department of the Environment, Ancient Monuments and Historic Buildings London 1978 List of ancient monuments in England: Volume 1, Northern England; Volume 2, Southern England; Volume 3, East Anglia and the Midlands

( 8) English Heritage Register of parks and gardens of special historic interest in England

North Yorkshire (May 1987) Part 32

(9) by David Knowles and R Neville Hadcock 1971 Medieval religious houses in England and Wales

Page(s)82,487

(10) by H M Colvin ... [et al] 1982 The history of the King's Works, volume 4 : 1485-1660 (Part 2)

Page(s)355-64

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