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Fountains Abbey: History
Fountains Abbey: Buildings
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A festive occasion (7/10)
By the fifteenth century a number of the abbey’s estates were leased out, but others were worked as demesne by keepers, for whom there were three key dates in their year: 3 May, Whitsuntide and Michaelmas. On 3 May, the sheep and cattle were driven to summer pastures, and at Whitsuntide the oldest and youngest cattle were brought to the abbey. Michaelmas was a rather ceremonial affair for the keepers and their families, who would congregate by the side of the road at the Toft Gate to watch the sheep as they came over the hill from Craven, and to collect the new heifers.(113) |
