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Fountains Abbey: History
Fountains Abbey: Buildings
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The guesthouse (2/5)
Fountains earned a reputation for its liberal hospitality. Robert of Pipewell, who was responsible for building the large, aisled guesthall, was praised for showing fitting honour to guests.(104) His successor, Abbot John, was commended for participating with guests and for his generosity at table; it was also noted that he managed to extend hospitality even during the persecution of King John’s reign. However, there were less positive reviews and Abbot Ralph Haget was reprimanded by the General Chapter on two occasions for his unsatisfactory reception of visiting Cistercians. In 1199 Ralph was punished for showing ‘unequal hospitality’ to Cistercian abbots who had stayed at Fountains en route to the General Chapter meeting at Cîteaux, presumably abbots from the Cistercian houses in Scotland. It would seem that whilst Ralph had extended a warm welcome to some of these abbots, others had received a rather lukewarm reception.(105) The following year Ralph was censured for receiving his Father Immediate, Abbot Guy of Clairvaux, less reverently than was deemed appropriate.(106) |
