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admin sinfulldude · Posted: Thu Nov 30, 2006 3:42 pm Post subject: Roche Abbey;- Maltby, Rotherham

Roche Abbey, in the district of Maltby, Rotherham, was founded in 1147 by a Cistercian brotherhood who had travelled down from Newminster Abbey at Northumberland. Although they arrived in the valley in 1140, for several years they lived without a proper dwelling until the local lords offered to build them an abbey. "roche" means "rock", and popular folklore has it that a vision of the crucifix appeared on a certain rock close by and inspired the monks to settle here.

The abbey was originally known as the abbey of Santa Maria de Rupe. Although it has been said that no dead were ever buried at Roche Abbey (and that instead they were carried to Blythe Priory to be interred) Les Halford, employed in the abbey house, explained that this is not strictly true. There is a small number of graves belonging to local landowners who bequeathed money to the abbey in their lifetime, on the condition that, after their deaths, the monks would pray for their souls.

Around 1534, Henry VIII ordered an investigation into all monasteries in England prior to their dissolution. The abbey was visited by the feared doctors Leigh and Layton, who had the task of presenting a "black book" of their findings to the king. Although Roche Abbey escaped closure at first, being found to be financially viable, on their second visit in 1537, Leigh and Layton reported that "two-thirds of all monks in England were drunkards and so bad as to defy description" and the abbey was closed. According to all surviving documentation, there was no massacre at the abbey; the monks were pensioned off peaceably but still tried frantically to hide their pewter chalices in the woods, while the local people took hymn books and pews to repair their carts and wagons! It was also said in the report by Leigh and Layton that the monks worshipped a nearby rock on which there was an image of the crucifix. Perhaps this recalls the legend of why the site for Roche Abbey was selected in the first place.

If such a rock still survives, it must be deeply buried in the woodland which surrounds the ruins. Indeed, there are many ancient yew trees whose age must number hundreds of years in the surrounding grounds. Yews are often associated with worship groves of the pre-Christian religion; it is not hard to imagine that the area around Roche Abbey has been sacred for longer than there has been a Christian monastery standing.

The Abbey House is only 240 years old, although it appears much older. It was originally built as a hunting and gaming lodge for the well-to-do. Many local people have taken stones in the past from the ruined abbey to build their houses, and it is possible that much of the stone used to build the Abbey House is from the abbey itself.

According to Mr Halford, there are stories from local people who have walked around the abbey at dusk, and seen the spectre of a grey lady standing at one of the windows, staring out onto the grounds. The sound of a wailing child is said to be heard coming from one of the upper rooms, although on investigation the crying stops and the room is empty. Certain guests are also said to have seen the ghost of a maid disappearing up a flight of stairs. Legend has it that in the 18th century, a maidservant had found herself pregnant, and shortly after her child was born, she killed the baby before hanging herself in the attic.

On new year's morning in 1991, four local people reported seeing the spectre of a figure clad in white robes, heading across the grass behind the gatehouse towards them. The Cistercian order who founded the monastery did indeed wear white robes all year round, having no change of clothes or extra garments throughout the seasons. The face of the spectre was not visible, and it appeared to be gliding at a great speed in their direction, glowing with an unearthly greyish light. The area of grass it walked over was once the site of the wooden buildings which temporarily housed the monks and their abbey guests, until the stone structure was built.

Later that same year, at about nine o'clock at night, the same group of friends were waiting in the small car park below the steep crags which surround one side of the valley. Noises so strange and unearthly were emanating from the trees above them that they became afraid to get out of the car, despite having walked around the grounds many times before at later hours than this. The source of the noises proved impossible to locate, and the group left in fear.

Indeed, the atmosphere around the abbey is reputed to change from day to day: sometimes it is peaceful and calm, and at others, so menacing that it defies those who wish to enter.

Towards the far end of the abbey itself, there lies a small stone coffin without a lid. Local legend has it that if one is to stare for long enough at the head of the coffin, then a face will appear, although nobody is sure of its origins. Why the coffin was never used remains a mystery.

Old monasteries and historic houses are often associated with secret underground tunnels and "priest holes", places in which to conceal the people who lived within. In times of religious uncertainty, when popes and abbots often opposed each other and the affairs of god were entangled with the affairs of state, the enclosed order was not always a safe one. Even before the church was split into the opposing factions of catholic and protestant, many preachers were arrested and accused of heresy for their beliefs. A quick escape route was felt to be the safest policy, and Roche Abbey was no exception to this. There is a network of underground tunnels beneath the abbey, leading to houses and castles of consequence. Some of the tunnels run for miles, and have only been blocked for safety reasons within the last few years.

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