Remembering Rievaulx Abbey (Esther Cha)

Mar 24, 2019
3 min read

From a distance, Rievaulx Abbey seemed like just another pile of ruins for tourists to explore. I was feeling groggy from a short nap on the bus and still a bit dizzy from being sick for several days. Although my body was begging me to rest, I pushed myself to join the group as they headed towards the abbey. As I walked into the ruins, I noticed a few couples having picnics by the walls and families playing games in the grass. It felt bizarre as I began to imagine the monks who had lived in the same place, carrying out their duties. Struggling just a bit, I followed a couple of people up a short staircase. When I turned right, I entered a dream– the view was breathtaking. No photo or video could capture its intensity. Although in ruins now, Rievaulx Abbey is still full of life, telling the story of its past while adding more to it every day.

Rievaulx Abbey lies in the deep, wooded valley of the River Rye. It was established in 1132 as “the first monastery of the reforming Cistercian order in the north of England” and served as a home for hundreds of monks.[1] Due to its location, the abbey had easy access to freshwater springs, drainage, and good building stones.[2] The biographer of Aelred of Rievaulx, Walter Daniel, reported, “High hills surround the valley, encircling it like a crown. These are clothed by trees of various sorts and maintain in pleasant retreats the privacy of the vale, providing for the monks a kind of second paradise of wooded delight.”[3] The site has retained some of this bucolic settting. In the late twelfth century, the number of residents at Rievaulx Abbey greatly increased, as the monastic lifestyle grew more popular. People sought disciplined communal living in poverty; every aspect of their lives was simple, including a vegetarian diet.[4] To maintain order, everyone was required to do manual labor, which occasionally led to austere and harsh conditions and excessive workloads. The monastic routine included reading Scripture and theological texts, copying manuscripts, attending church services, and working on the abbey’s estates.[5] However, in a world full of instability, Rievaulx provided structure and simplicity. As Abbot Aelred, who governed the abbey in the mid twelfth century, put it, “everywhere peace, everywhere serenity, and a marvelous freedom from the tumult of the world.”[6]

The remains of Rievaulx Abbey are still being studied today, as they hold a 900-year history. A visitor center and a museum were built nearby to provide services and further information for visitors.[7] These allow the memory of significant historical figures and events to be kept alive for centuries. This was proven to me as I stood in the east end of the church revelling in its sunlit beauty. I wished I could see the abbey in its full glory at its peak; however, the remains expose its history in a unique and enchanting way. For example, standing in what remains of the refectory, the area in which the monks gathered to eat, I could almost visualize the tables with stone legs and the rows of monks eating their vegetarian meals.[8] Being aware of the rich history that Rievaulx Abbey holds allowed me to thoroughly appreciate the ruins. Although it may seem like “just another pile of rocks,” Rievaulx Abbey contains the essence of extraordinary figures and events, and its story continues to evolve today.