DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.61904#0018
6
BOLTON PRIORY.
and the foundations of the chapter-houfe and of the prior’s
lodge are yet traceable. The guide-book to the abbey will
enable vifitors to notice every particular feature of this line old
pile. In the fields near ftill exifts the priory barn.
“ The ruins of this celebrated priory,” fays a modern writer,
“ Hand upon a beautiful curvature of the Wharf, fufficiently ele-
vated to protect it from inundation, and low enough for every
purpofe of pidturefque effecft. Its fite is fo Ihut in by hills and
embofoming trees, that the ftranger is not aware of it till he is
almoft on the fpot.” After palling an ancient, but fnug and
comfortable hoftelry,—an agreeable object to thofe who contem-
plate afojourn of fome days here,—you crofs a high, bald bridge,
very different to the one eredted in 1314 by Eve de Laund.
On a beam in a cottage adjoining the bridge may be feen this
infcription :—
Thow yat paflys by yes way,
One ave Maria here now fay.
On your left hand is a large paffure called the Town-field,
bounded by the river, in which field, “ amid corn almoft
ready for the fickle, Prince Rupert, it is faid, on his way
to Marfton Moor, encamped in the laft week of July, 1644.”
The elm under which he dined was remembered in the begin-
ning of the prefent century. Again in 1745, the rebels paftured
their horfes there, though it was again laden with corn. There
is a pleafant footpath from the bridge, acrofs this fertile plain,
to the abbey; but ftrangers generally proceed a few hundred
yards further down the road, and enter the abbey-clofe by an
opening in the boundary wall, which there remains in good
prefervation. There, fome years ago, we entered. We came
to a few cottages—to a high ftone wall—to a fmall arched
gateway ; and palling through, what a little paradife burft upon
us ! There were the ruins of the priory amongft magnificent
BOLTON PRIORY.
and the foundations of the chapter-houfe and of the prior’s
lodge are yet traceable. The guide-book to the abbey will
enable vifitors to notice every particular feature of this line old
pile. In the fields near ftill exifts the priory barn.
“ The ruins of this celebrated priory,” fays a modern writer,
“ Hand upon a beautiful curvature of the Wharf, fufficiently ele-
vated to protect it from inundation, and low enough for every
purpofe of pidturefque effecft. Its fite is fo Ihut in by hills and
embofoming trees, that the ftranger is not aware of it till he is
almoft on the fpot.” After palling an ancient, but fnug and
comfortable hoftelry,—an agreeable object to thofe who contem-
plate afojourn of fome days here,—you crofs a high, bald bridge,
very different to the one eredted in 1314 by Eve de Laund.
On a beam in a cottage adjoining the bridge may be feen this
infcription :—
Thow yat paflys by yes way,
One ave Maria here now fay.
On your left hand is a large paffure called the Town-field,
bounded by the river, in which field, “ amid corn almoft
ready for the fickle, Prince Rupert, it is faid, on his way
to Marfton Moor, encamped in the laft week of July, 1644.”
The elm under which he dined was remembered in the begin-
ning of the prefent century. Again in 1745, the rebels paftured
their horfes there, though it was again laden with corn. There
is a pleafant footpath from the bridge, acrofs this fertile plain,
to the abbey; but ftrangers generally proceed a few hundred
yards further down the road, and enter the abbey-clofe by an
opening in the boundary wall, which there remains in good
prefervation. There, fome years ago, we entered. We came
to a few cottages—to a high ftone wall—to a fmall arched
gateway ; and palling through, what a little paradife burft upon
us ! There were the ruins of the priory amongft magnificent