Byland Abbey
The very last stop on our Yorkshire adventure was Byland Abbey. This one was massively different to the other properties we have visited, as it is completely unmanned. The site is free to enter and although does have a little museum, this is only open on select days and hours. Otherwise entry to this impressive ruin is anytime within daylight hours and at the mercy of the general public. We assumed this is what it could have been like for the others in North Yorkshire that we had visited, if it wasn't for the building of the giftshops then these too no doubt would have been free, but there was no spare land here for capitalisation and as the Abbey is pretty much on the roadside, it remains open. Byland Abbey was founded as a Savigniac monastery before being assimilated into the Cistercian order in 1147. Housing only 13 Monks, this was the fifth move they made and they settled in New Byland in 1177 following a raid from the Scottish and being pushed from pillar to post for various r...
