DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.61904#0224
212
RIEVAUX ABBEY.
were cleared of their loads of rubbifh in 1819, thus leaving the
full height and other proportions of thefe beautiful remains of
Englifh art clear. In 1821 a part of a teflellated pavement was
laid bare, near the high altar, and in it were wrought the letters
fHaria gr. This is now preferved in the circular temple
at the fouth end of Duncombe-terrace. Some fragments of
ftained glafs were alfo found ; and it is worthy of remark that
ftained glafs is firft mentioned in the North of England, in
1140, as appearing in the windows of Rievaux.
Moft of the other buildings of the abbey, as the cloifters,
the abbot’s houfe, the refectory, etc., are in a great ftate of
ruin, and many of them hung with heavy mafles of ivy,
while the floors are buried beneath heaps of the fallen roofs
and walls. But what is this which we have here? On the
weft fide of the refectory there is a mountainous heap of iron
flag and cinders, fliowing that an iron-foundry exifted here in
fome long-paft age. It is overgrown with grafs, and appears
to have been unnoticed, amongft the other mounds and
inequalities made up of the fallen materials of the buildings,
till late years. When we were there this vaft heap was
being carted away to mend the roads, and feemed as though it
would furnifh an excellent fupply for that purpofe for a very
long period. Did the monks, amongft their other occupations,
avail themfelves of the ore in the neighbourhood, and, bearing
the general appellation of “lazy monks,” thus employ a por-
tion of their time to their own and the public benefit ? There
is very little doubt that this was the cafe. The monks in
many places were holders of extenfive lands, and induftrious
improvers of it. They were, in fact, the leaders and
{Emulators of agriculture, as they were the almoft infpired
architects and the moft exquifite fculptors and carvers of their
time. It was not alone in their fcriptorium that they copied
RIEVAUX ABBEY.
were cleared of their loads of rubbifh in 1819, thus leaving the
full height and other proportions of thefe beautiful remains of
Englifh art clear. In 1821 a part of a teflellated pavement was
laid bare, near the high altar, and in it were wrought the letters
fHaria gr. This is now preferved in the circular temple
at the fouth end of Duncombe-terrace. Some fragments of
ftained glafs were alfo found ; and it is worthy of remark that
ftained glafs is firft mentioned in the North of England, in
1140, as appearing in the windows of Rievaux.
Moft of the other buildings of the abbey, as the cloifters,
the abbot’s houfe, the refectory, etc., are in a great ftate of
ruin, and many of them hung with heavy mafles of ivy,
while the floors are buried beneath heaps of the fallen roofs
and walls. But what is this which we have here? On the
weft fide of the refectory there is a mountainous heap of iron
flag and cinders, fliowing that an iron-foundry exifted here in
fome long-paft age. It is overgrown with grafs, and appears
to have been unnoticed, amongft the other mounds and
inequalities made up of the fallen materials of the buildings,
till late years. When we were there this vaft heap was
being carted away to mend the roads, and feemed as though it
would furnifh an excellent fupply for that purpofe for a very
long period. Did the monks, amongft their other occupations,
avail themfelves of the ore in the neighbourhood, and, bearing
the general appellation of “lazy monks,” thus employ a por-
tion of their time to their own and the public benefit ? There
is very little doubt that this was the cafe. The monks in
many places were holders of extenfive lands, and induftrious
improvers of it. They were, in fact, the leaders and
{Emulators of agriculture, as they were the almoft infpired
architects and the moft exquifite fculptors and carvers of their
time. It was not alone in their fcriptorium that they copied