Egglestone Abbey, Egglestone, Durham
A view of the ruins of Egglestone Abbey from the south. Egglestone Abbey was founded between 1195 and 1198 by the de Multon family, for a small number of Premonstratensian canons. It was very poor throughout its existence. This was made worse by its location in the Borders where it was ravaged by the Scots in 1315 and by the English in 1348. The canons were still being exempted from taxes in 1496 'on account of their notorious poverty'. The abbey was dissolved by Henry VIII in 1540. In 1548 it was granted to Robert Strelley who began to convert the buildings into houses. It was sold in 1770 to John Morritt of Rokeby. He demolished part of the church to provide stone for paving the stable yard at Rokeby Hall. It remained in his family until being placed in State care in 1925 and is now (2011) in the care of English Heritage. Find out more.
