THE ABBEY

Rievaulx Abbey, founded in 1132 by monks of the Cistercian Order, lies in a sheltered wooded dale next to the River Rye, near Cold Kirby in North Yorkshire UK.

The monks mined lead and iron and reared sheep, selling the wool to buyers from all over Europe. It is still grand sheep country today.

Rievaulx Abbey became one of the greatest and wealthiest in England, with 140 monks, and many more lay brothers, and land of over 6,000 acres (24 km²).
Hidden away this is a real gem in this quiet part of Yorkshire.
Here too were the First House Martins of this year !