Only the Cistercians of the new
religious orders that emerged in twelfth-century Europe made a substantial
and long-lasting impact on Britain. A total of eighty-six Cistercian
abbeys were founded in Britain spread over the whole of England,
Wales, Scotland and Ireland. But it was in Yorkshire that the Order
first took hold in this country. The eight houses founded in this
county between 1131 and 1150 were the seeds from which the Cistercian
Order grew rapidly in the second half of the twelfth century. The
White Monks had a profound impact on all aspects of British medieval
life; the remains of their buildings are among the most important
Cistercian ruins in Europe and witness to their long-lasting significance
for the culture of this island.
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