Surviving Mai Tai Tom’s “Royal” Blunder: 2022 England & Scotland

CHAPTER SEVEN: An Abbey For The Ages & On To Durham

We got to punch our UNESCO Card (I still contend there should be one) because the entire area has status as a World Heritage site because of the ”harmonious whole of buildings, gardens and landscapes.” The property encompasses 800 acres, and although we obviously did not see all of it, what we did explore was pretty spectacular. Purchase your tickets at the Visitors Center.

We grabbed a couple of lattes in the cafeteria before setting out to explore the area. We were slightly behind schedule because somehow Tracy found the garden center that was selling David Austin English roses and other flowers she coveted. We weeded her out of there before she could get her wallet out.

How did they know I was coming?

As we headed for Fountains Hall in the distance …

… we made a quick stop at Swanley Grange.

Swanley Grange was one of three monastic farms near the abbey that provided food for the monks, while the wool from their sheep generated an income. During its heyday, the abbey was one of the “largest and wealthiest monasteries in the country.” As you can see, we were already dyed-in-the-wool fans of the property.

We also took a look at  the vegetable garden, which you can explore for as long as you’d like.  Visitors can even try weaving and knitting.

Considering all the weaving I’d done on our walks through York, we pressed on toward Fountains Hall. Although a tad on the chilly side, the walk was as refreshing as it was beautiful.

Fountains Hall was constructed as a Jacobean country home built into a hillside at the end of the 16th century. The builder, the not-so-popular Stephen Proctor, used stones he stole from the abbey ruins. It was utilized, among other things, as a courthouse and a stately home through the centuries and was neglected for quite some time until it was renovated between 1928 and 1931 by Commander Clare and Lady Doris Vyner. We discovered the Duke and Duchess of York (later King George VI and the Queen Mum) were often guests of Lady Vyner.

Inside one of the rooms was a wall of woolen socks. Why? During the Great Depression Commander Vyner “built a training camp on the fields above Fountains Abbey” that could house 36 young men, who would receive guidance in fields ranging from gardening to forestry to domestic service, in order help them get back on their feet and pursue jobs. The socks have the names of the boys, and there is also an interactive tablet next to the socks that tells stories about the boys.  The wall hanging is above the fireplace.

The memorial that is seen as you exit the home is one that the Vyners erected for their son and daughter, who both perished at a young age. Their daughter passed away at the age of 18 in 1942 from sleeping sickness, while their son Charles, a pilot in the Royal Naval Reserve, was classified as missing in action when the plane he was flying crashed in the sea off Rangoon on May 5, 1945. His parents were not notified of his disappearance until four days after VE Day.

After that sobering story, we stepped back outside into the lush beauty of the countryside …

… where each couple took the obligatory bridge photos that might be used in their respective Christmas cards.

Words like verdant and bucolic came to mind as we walked toward Fountains Mill. Living in Southern California, those words don’t pop into my head very often.

The sundial was not getting a big workout on this cloudy day. Next stop on our epic journey through Studley Royal Park was Fountains Mill, the oldest building on the entire estate. The 12th-century Cistercian Mill was in use until 1927. It had been used to grind grain for the monastery.

How did Tracy sneak in these flower photos????

Our peaceful morning quiet was suddenly shattered by a young man who knew the ropes and started ringing the bell … often. Sufficiently hearing deprived, we evacuated the immediate area.

I looked at my phone (remember when we wore watches?) and realized we’d been walking for more than an hour, and still no sight of the abbey. I mentioned this to Tracy, and she replied, “It would help if you turned around.” There, in the distance, it stood.

Crossing the bridge we got our first real glimpse of Fountains Abbey. Wow, indeed! And it would only get better.

Fountains Abbey was established as a Benedictine Abbey in 1132 and then the next year was turned into a Cistercian Abbey. They are the “largest monastic ruins in the country.” As we admired the ruins, kids were playing and dogs were frolicking. As we’d find out everywhere we went, they love their pooches in Great Britain.

How’d he get up there?

The abbey lasted until 1539 when it was taken over by Henry VIII who had it dissolved along with so many other monasteries.

There are many photographic opportunities, but perhaps none better than the Cellarium, which stretches more than 300 feet.

Food, wine and ale for the monks were stored in this cool and dark area.  

You could take a thousand photos here.  Wait, I think we did.

A striking part of the Abbey is the nave.

It looks down toward the ‘Crossing.’