Out & About …

… on the North York Moors, or wherever I happen to be.

Baysdale Abbey

Very little remains of the 12th-century Cistercian nunnery; a large farmhouse now occupying the site. The farmhouse probably dates from the 17th-century although I read it has a date of 1822 above the date1NYM HER No: 2488/7008/17667..

A priory was founded in 1162 at Hutton Lowcross, near Guisborough; but soon the nuns were removed to the village of Thorpe, near Stokesley, after which the village became known as Nunthorpe.

Towards the end of the reign of Henry II, they were again ordered to move, this time to Baysdale, which at that time was part of the parish of Stokesley. There were about 12 nuns with their prioress, all coming from wealthy families. It is not clear why they were removed, first from Hutton and then from Nunthorpe, but at Baysdale the records show they were a quite a rum lot.

In 1307, an order was made for “the deprivation of the prioress (Joan de Percy) on account of her dilapidation of the goods of the house, and her excesses and perpetual and notorious misdeeds2British-history.ac.uk. (2022). Houses of Cistercians nuns: Priory of Basedale | British History Online. [online] Available at: https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/yorks/vol3/pp158-160#anchorn13 [Accessed 8 Jun. 2022].. Say no more.

In the following year, the archbishop sent Joan de Percy to the convent of Sinningth waite, “as she had been guilty of disobedience” at Baysdale3British-history.ac.uk. (2022). Houses of Cistercians nuns: Priory of Basedale | British History Online. [online] Available at: https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/yorks/vol3/pp158-160#anchorn16 [Accessed 8 Jun. 2022]..

And in 1308, the archbishop wrote to the prioress regarding the “miserable” state of one of the nuns, Agnes de Thormondby, who he had heard “that, on three separate occasions, she had yielded carnis decepta blandiciis” — a phrase which Google translates as ‘deceived by the caresses of the flesh4British-history.ac.uk. (2022). Houses of Cistercians nuns: Priory of Basedale | British History Online. [online] Available at: https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/yorks/vol3/pp158-160#anchorn18 [Accessed 8 Jun. 2022].. She left the order, but returned humbly and in a contrite spirit.

The priory continued until dissolved under the orders of Henry VIII.


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