Timeline | Monasticism
The word "monk" derives from a Greek word meaning "alone".
People have sought religious enlightenment throughout recorded history and the first monks lived isolated lives. By the middle of the 4th century however they were beginning to live in small organised communities, with other, non-religious or "lay" people assisting with the day to day chores so that the monks could concentrate on their spiritual duties.
Small religious communities flourished throughout Europe following carefully planned routines of prayer, work and study based on the Rule of St Benedict (c.480-550). Monks were required to make a vow of poverty, chastity and obedience, and all property was held in common. Different religious orders developed over time, with slightly different approaches to life, but the basic principle remains the same to this day.
Monastery - general term meaning a building occupied by a community of monks
Abbey - a monastery governed by an abbot – the appointed head of the community who does not have to refer to a bishop or other authority in making any decisions / also a church which was formerly part of a monastery
Priory - group of monks or nuns governed by a prior (second in rank to an abbot) - dependent on the parent house of the order
As well as religious centres, monasteries became the focus of learning, scholarship and historical record keeping. Many of them offered accommodation for travellers. Some of them were dedicated to looking after the poor and sick, especially elderly people. Most had extensive farm lands and other small industries, intended to make them self-sufficient but also incidentally creating sometimes substantial incomes and much local employment.
The present church at Ellerton is on the site of the original priory church which formed part of the Gilbertine Priory, founded there in about 1203, principally to care for 13 poor, elderly men.
Monasticism in North Yorkshire – a selection of religious foundations
657 Whitby Abbey – Benedictine
1055 St Mary's Abbey York – Benedictine
1089 Holy Trinity Priory York – Benedictine
1119 Gisborough Priory – Augustinian
1120 Kirkham Priory – Augustinian
1132 Fountains Abbey – Cistercian
1132 Rievaulx Abbey - Cistercian
1135 Byland Abbey – Savignac/Cistercian
1150 Malton Priory - Gilbertine
1150 Watton Priory – Gilbertine
1151 Bolton Abbey - Augustinian
1152 Easby Abbey - Premonstratensian
1156 Jervaulx Abbey - Cavignac/cistercian
1158 Rosedale Abbey - Cistercian
1190 Coverham Abbey - Premonstratensian
1203 Ellerton Priory - Gilbertine
1398 Mount Grace Priory – Carthusian
These foundations mainly date from the Norman conquest, when a major programme of building saw the founding of many new monasteries and the rebuilding of many older ones which had been ravaged by the Vikings in earlier centuries. Expansion and development continued over the next few hundred years to a greater or lesser extent until the Dissolution of the Monasteries by Henry VIII in 1536-1540.
Religious communities had always been subject to harassment by the Crown, partly on account of the wealth which they accumulated and partly because they owed allegiance to the Pope above the King. When Henry VIII had himself declared Supreme Head of the Church in England in 1531 he finally had the freedom to clamp down completely. On the pretext of sorting out monasteries which had become lax, ill disciplined or had fallen into poverty, he started a programme of closure. The monks and nuns were offered re-location or a payment to return to ordinary society and the buildings, contents and lands were taken by the Crown. Resistance was treated as treason and executions followed.
Popular discontent with this whole process, and with the gradual erosion of Catholic traditions and practices, led to the Pilgrimage of Grace, an uprising of the common people which started in York in 1536, led by Robert Aske, a London barrister from Aughton, the next parish to Ellerton. Initially about 9,000 strong, the rising had attracted
30 – 40,000 people by the time the King's negotiators met them at Doncaster. The King promised a general pardon and a parliament to be held in York, and the people dispersed.
The King failed to keep his promise and another uprising started in Cumbria and Westmoreland, which Robert Aske tried to prevent, however he was arrested, convicted of treason and executed with the other leaders of the movement, lords, knights, monks, abbots and priests – 216 in total.
By 1540 the monasteries had gone. Worship continued in parish churches and collegiate churches but the great monastic buildings were made uninhabitable and fell into ruin, the stone usually being re-used. The major losses however were the destruction or dispersal of the great libraries, the religious hospitals, the care of the sick, elderly and the poor, the massive loss of employment on the monastic farms etc. and the focal point of many hundreds of communities.
Ellerton / Alreton / Elreton
Founded about 1203 by canons of St Gilbert of Sempringham
1536 – Pilgrimage of Grace
1538 – dissolution of Ellerton Priory - adoption of part of the priory church as the parish church.
1811 – Methodist chapel built in Ellerton, drawing some worshippers away from the church
1846 - Ellerton church building about to collapse due to neglect
1846 – JLB appointed to build new church.
1970's – declared redundant
1996 – Ellerton Church Preservation Trust established
1997 – restoration work begins |