Kirkstall Abbey

uncle mick · Post by **uncle mick** » Wed 06 Feb, 2013 4:34 am

A couple of old pics I found while surfing

LS1 · Post by **LS1** » Wed 06 Feb, 2013 10:10 am

Rebuilding it would be pointless. It should be taken in its historic context, that yes it was destroyed by the dissolution but it is what it is and should be left as such to preserve the memory of the removal of a religious freedom at the time. Also, I am sure pretty much all of the abbey is now open for people to look round. They close it a night of course but it is probably the best preserved abbey we have in the UK.

Si · Post by Si » Wed 06 Feb, 2013 1:15 pm

The first "new build" work on the abbey took place some time after the tower collapsed in the 1770s. The tracery in the tower window is not accurate, and is there purely to stop any more of it falling down. The whole abbey could never be rebuilt on cost alone, I should think. Also, I believe there isn't enough evidence as to how it looked (as far as all the architectural detail goes) anyway. Rebuilding to a generic monastary design would be pointless and inaccurate. IMO it should be left alone. Part of the attraction of such places is their ability to make you use your imagination. With modern technology, we can see what it (may) have looked like anyway, and make changes to make it more accurate as historians and archaeologists add to their knowledge of the place. Besides, when rebuilding, where do you stop? Just rebuild the church, rebuild the other buildings, reconstruct the grounds, move the A65?

Jogon · Post by **Jogon** » Wed 06 Feb, 2013 2:41 pm

Just the Abbey please.

Leodian · Post by **Leodian** » Wed 06 Feb, 2013 3:16 pm

Having lived only in Leeds it is probably embarrassing to say that I've never been to Kirkstall Abbey (unless I went as a child and have forgotten). I never got the Abbey habit! I do intend to go at somestage, as it's not as if it's hard to get to! Mind you, apart from once going just into it, I've never been in the Civic Hall and I've never been in Trinity Church nor Mill Hill Chapel. I really must go inside more historical Leeds buildings.

Chrism · Post by **Chrism** » Wed 06 Feb, 2013 3:20 pm

Leodian wrote: Having lived only in Leeds it is probably embarrassing to say that I've never been to Kirkstall Abbey (unless I went as a child and have forgotten). I never got the Abbey habit! I do intend to go at somestage, as it's not as if it's hard to get to! Mind you, apart from once going just into it, I've never been in the Civic Hall and I've never been in Trinity Church nor Mill Hill Chapel. I really must go inside more historical Leeds buildings. Sounds like the start of a good thread ... "Places in Leeds I've never been to"

Chrism · Post by **Chrism** » Wed 06 Feb, 2013 3:22 pm

Quite a few castles have parts of them restored ie Old living quarters and parts of kitchens etc etc. Maybe they could do that at Kirkstall.

Jogon · Post by **Jogon** » Wed 06 Feb, 2013 3:44 pm

And all this from Henry's fit of pique at Papal intransigence Leo It's years since I went but seem to recall the museum across the road was interesting and did good food.

Leodian · Post by **Leodian** » Wed 06 Feb, 2013 7:17 pm

Kirkstall Abbey is near to the River Aire and in an area that is susceptible to flooding but I don't recall reading that its grounds do get badly flooded, so I wonder if it is higher above river level than I thought it would be? Or perhaps the Kirkstall Abbey 'tunnel' was built as a flood draining system!!!

Post by **cnosni** » Wed 06 Feb, 2013 11:31 pm

uncle mick wrote: A couple of old pics I found while surfing Wow,how come they didnt get wet (think about it...)