Still standing

At my Grammar School in Bradford we had four houses, each named after a Yorkshire Abbey – Fountains, Byland, Rievaulx and Jervaulx. There was a tradition that in one particular year, probably when we were around 13 years old, we were taken on a summer trip to visit all four abbeys. The thought of doing such a trip now is appalling enough, never mind subjecting 13 year olds to it. No wonder then that, when we went to Rievaulx Abbey this afternoon, this was certainly not a nostalgia trip, as I do not remember a single thing about the first visit I made. (And as I watched today a group of kids of a similar age being released amongst the ruins I realised why – taking youngsters to places like this achieves very little, unless it is very well managed – taking kids to four such places achieved nothing at all.)
 


We left Bridlington this morning and what a lovely sunny morning it was. We made our way up the coast to Bempton Cliffs, an RSPB centre that Gordon has often though of visiting. And what an excellent place it is too. I am not up to walking much at the moment, but Gordon did quite a bit of the cliff top trails. We both watched this huge seabird colony at different points – just amazing to see the number of Kittiwakes, Guillemots, Fulmars and Herring Gulls, nesting and flying in and out to feed (see extra). There were some Puffins, but they had by now taken to the water so were more difficult to spot. A really good place we will return to.
 
Then we set off up the coast and inland to arrive at Rievaulx Abbey. What an impressive place. Although only ruins now, it is not hard to envisage what it was like in its time. I had not realised just how important a place it was. It was founded in 1132 and became the most powerful and spiritually renowned centre of monasticism in Britain. It reached its peak in 1160 when there were around 600 men there. It was closed by King Henry VIII in 1538. I have chosen an image of the wonderful architecture of the South Transept of the church. JanetH visited the same place a short while ago, and in fact was one of the first visitors to the new and impressive Visitor Centre. Her picture is a fine panorama of the Abbey.