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Byland Abbey: History
Byland Abbey: Buildings
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Urban properties
Whilst the Cistercians sought
to live ‘far from the haunts
of men’ and worked the land from their granges, they required
urban holdings for trade, for the storage of wool and, not least
of all, to accommodate the abbot and monastic officials when travelling
or conducting business relating to the house. Byland’s urban
holdings included properties in Yarm and York, which were important
for trade and the export of wool. Byland acquired property in York
early on, and is known to have had holdings here from the mid/late
twelfth century. The community had property here at Bootham, c.
1300, which is described as a cottage at the time of the Dissolution.
Byland also had an inn in York (the Angel) and a close in Clifton,
just outside of York.(79)
York was a particularly important centre of trade, and Byland acquired substantial property at Clifton, just outside of the city by the River Ouse. The community increased expanded its holdings here by taking over Jervaulx’s lease of land, and between them, Fountains and Byland leased most of the lands closest to the river. This was a prime location, since it was close to the city yet escaped the congestion and also the stench of York. Moreover, Clifton was an important place for the delivery of wool to Italian merchants. In 1294 the community had contracts with the Italians of Lucca and Florence, and from 1299 to1305, Byland is recorded as selling an impressive 203 sacks of wool at Clifton.(80) Most of the wool that was stored at Byland’s woolshed at Thorpe grange was transported by packhorse over the Yearsley Ridge to Clifton, and from there it was shipped to the Continent. Byland is known to have had river-craft on the Ouse-Ure in 1329.(81) The woolhouse at Thorpe grange was ideally situated at the Coxwold-Gilling gap, and was used also by the nuns of Arden. (82)
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