Roland had been a monk and then abbot of Rufford,
Nottinghamshire. He was elected to the abbacy of Rievaulx in 1533
in rather controversial circumstances, for the royal commissioners
decided that he should replace Abbot Edward
Kirkby who had been
forced to resign following allegations of misconduct. This choice
was accepted by only a few members of Rievaulx. As abbot of Rievaulx,
Roland seems to have enjoyed an aristocratic lifestyle. According
to one contemporary (George Huton of Kirkdale who lived with his
father at Skiplam Hall) the abbot and six or eight of his community
would frequently arrive at the grounds of Skiplam and Welburn,
which belonged to the abbey, to hunt and hawk. Roland surrendered
Rievaulx Abbey to the royal commissioners in December 1538 and
he, like all of the Rievaulx community, was given dispensation
to hold a living (with a change of habit). He seemingly retired
to Welburn, on land previously belonging to the abbey, and received
a handsome pension. Roland, who had only been a member of Rievaulx
for a few years, maintained links with his old abbey of Rufford
and following the Dissolution kept in touch with several former
monks of that house.(1)