St Mary’s Abbey

Originally dedicated to St Olave in 1055, this Benedictine abbey was re-established shortly after William I’s ‘harrowing of the north.’ It became one of the richest abbeys in the country, along with the likes of Glastonbury and Bury St Edmunds. At its peak roughly 60 monks would have administered a busy economy. The walled abbey precinct included a brewery, a bakehouse, a mill, granaries, a fish house and workshops.

St Mary’s Abbey Folklore:

A black abbot haunts the ruins of the abbey. Only seen at night, the apparition is accompanied by sounds of jangling money.