The Cistercians' drive for self-sufficiency meant
that industry was as important as agriculture in the daily running
of their estates. Stones for building and roofing had to be quarried,
minerals mined and implements produced; pots were required for the
kitchen and refectory, lead piping to carry water and tools for
farming and forging. The Cistercians in Yorkshire stood at the forefront
of several technological innovations. They were amongst the first
to have tanning and fulling-mills, and one of the earliest water-driven
hammer forges was built at Kirkstall
Abbey. Fountains' iron
forge at Bradley grange, near Huddersfield, is thought to be the
earliest known medieval water-driven industrial complex. The Cistercians
may also have helped increase the use of horse-power in the twelfth
century; Jervaulx in
particular was known for its horse-breeding.
The White Monks also pioneered the walled lavatorium,
to replace free-standing structures. This was probably intended
to prevent the water freezing over. The walled lavatorium had taps
rather than spouts and it was the Cistercians in England who led
the development of taps; twelfth-century taps survive at both Fountains
and Kirkstall.