Fountains Abbey
The dramatic abbey ruins at Fountains are the largest monastic ruins in the country. The abbey was founded in 1132 by 13 Benedictine monks from St Mary’s in York. They'd grown fed up of the extravagant and rowdy way that the monks lived in York and so they escaped seeking to live a devout and simple lifestyle elsewhere. By the time three years had passed the monks had become settled into their new way of life and had been admitted to the austere Cistercian Order and with that came an important development – the introduction of the Cistercian system of lay brothers. The lay brothers (labourers) relieved the monks from routine jobs, giving them more time to dedicate to God rather than farming the land to get by. It was because of the help of the lay brothers that Fountains became so wealthy through wool production, lead mining, cattle rearing, horse breeding and stone quarrying.
(National Trust)
There are so many superlatives when it comes to Fountains Abbey: huge, impressive, intact, amazing in its construction, and astonishing in the ground breaking hospital facilities it provided in its time. God bless those men of God!
The day is stunning and bright, which is both wonderful and exceedingly tricky for taking photos - the shadows are strikingly bold, which has its pluses and minuses! There are many people, especially families, as it's the weekend again. There are a some children climbing the ruins, but none as blatantly or through parental encouragement as at Finchale. Here there is a sense of peace, of precious family time spent in the summer sun, enjoying a lazy picnic lunch together. Lots of laughter and photos, including one proud dad encouraging his young son and baby daughter to pose for potential gift portraits, or simply a special record of the day.
Wandering between these ancient and remarkably intact walls, I get the sense of community and hospitality once shared here. There must have been pain, suffering and death - life was so much more fragile in those days - and yet these monks brought a hope and expectation that some might survive because of their ministrations and tender care.
God's spirit survives here, as do the spirits of those merciful monks, and I soak in His peace along with the sun's rays.
As I seat myself in the Chapter House - in a stone chair above my station - I can observe the reaction of people as they step out into this large open space, then advance towards the tower and exclaim at its sheer height and dominance. Even in its windowless state, it is magnificent. The arches remain to mark the aisles on either side of the main nave but, at this eastern end, only a few stones in the grass mark the fact that this space was once more boxed in and compartmentalised. Every nook and cranny in this place had a purpose.
I imagine those monks and lay brothers now, each of them had a specific role and purpose; I can see them going about their work, some in the fields, some in the infirmary, others here in the house of God. And yet I see no sacred-secular divide.
Now, the one who plants and the one who waters are equally important and on the same team, but each will be rewarded for his own work. We are co-workers with God and you are God’s cultivated garden, the house he is building. 1 Corinthians 3:8-9
Such is the lesson for us today.
There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. Ephesians 4:4-6
No matter what we do - or how, or where - for the glory of God, then His Glory will shine. Just like the stones of these buildings, our legacy will live on... long after that casual conversation we've forgotten about... far beyond that simple act of kindness which makes the recipient still smile... we are the house God is building, a temple for His Holy Spirit, and we must shine with all the brilliance of this perfect summer's day.
