Dale Abbey
Encyclopedia
Dale Abbey is a village and civil parish in the borough of Erewash
in Derbyshire
in the East Midlands
of England
, 6 miles north east of Derby
.
Formerly known as Depedale or Deepdale, the village contains the remains of an abbey founded in the 12th or 13th century.
. A few years later they were joined by Premonstratensian
canons from Tupholme and finally, a few years after this, by another group from Welbeck. All these attempts failed, primarily due to the isolation of the area and the lack of good arable land amidst the thick woodlands.
From around the year 1199, the Abbey became well established enough—and with the acquisition of further lands, tithes and other properties—to survive for the next three hundred and forty years.
Although a relatively large establishment, the abbey was home to no more than 24 canons. The Abbey provided priests at Ilkeston
, Heanor
, Kirk Hallam
and Stanton by Dale
.
The Abbey owned around 24000 acres (97.1 km²) of land. Much would have been leased or rented out or used for grazing or for the production of produce for the residents of the Abbey.
In 1539, the Act of Dissolution brought an end to almost four centuries of monastic life in the Dale. The remains comprise a 40-foot-high chancel
window. Excavations have shown the church to have possessed transepts 100 feet in length, a crossing tower, a cloister 85 feet square and a nave of unknown length. Some of the remains of the building can be found in houses around the village.
The last Abbot of Dale Abbey, John Bebe, died in 1540.
Sir Francis Pole of Radbourne
took possession of Dale Abbey. The furnishings and fittings were either gradually sold off or stripped out and installed in other churches. Morley
Church became home to some of the stained and painted glass, floor tiles and an entire porchway. The ornately carved font cover was installed in Radbourne Church while Chaddesden
received a window frame. The font eventually found its way back to All Saints Church Dale Abbey in 1884 and the slabs upon which the canons walked for so many centuries can be found in the grounds of the church at the Moravian Settlement at Ockbrook
.
Dale Abbey is recorded as the site of the "Wedding of Allan-A-Dale", the third of the stories of Robin Hood.
Behind the church is an area of woodland. In the wood is Hermit Cave, hewn out of the sandstone cliff by a 12th-century Derby baker who wished to live a life as a recluse. It is well preserved, measuring 6 yards by 3 with a doorway, two windows, a peephole and a niche for a light.
The Carpenters' Arms opened in 1880 and the Methodist Chapel opened in 1902.
A windmill Cat and Fiddle Mill is a post mill situated close to the village . It has a small round house and covered platform at the top of the ladder.
Erewash
Erewash is a local government district and borough in eastern Derbyshire, England, to the east of Derby and the west of Nottingham. It contains the towns of Ilkeston, Long Eaton and Sandiacre and fourteen civil parishes....
in Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
in the East Midlands
East Midlands
The East Midlands is one of the regions of England, consisting of most of the eastern half of the traditional region of the Midlands. It encompasses the combined area of Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Rutland, Northamptonshire and most of Lincolnshire...
of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, 6 miles north east of Derby
Derby
Derby , is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands region of England. It lies upon the banks of the River Derwent and is located in the south of the ceremonial county of Derbyshire. In the 2001 census, the population of the city was 233,700, whilst that of the Derby Urban Area was 229,407...
.
Formerly known as Depedale or Deepdale, the village contains the remains of an abbey founded in the 12th or 13th century.
The Abbey
The Augustinian monks moved to Dale Abbey in 1162 from their previous home at Calke AbbeyCalke Abbey
Calke Abbey is a Grade I listed country house near Ticknall, Derbyshire, England, in the care of the charitable National Trust.The site was an Augustinian priory from the 12th century until its dissolution by Henry VIII...
. A few years later they were joined by Premonstratensian
Premonstratensian
The Order of Canons Regular of Prémontré, also known as the Premonstratensians, the Norbertines, or in Britain and Ireland as the White Canons , are a Catholic religious order of canons regular founded at Prémontré near Laon in 1120 by Saint Norbert, who later became Archbishop of Magdeburg...
canons from Tupholme and finally, a few years after this, by another group from Welbeck. All these attempts failed, primarily due to the isolation of the area and the lack of good arable land amidst the thick woodlands.
From around the year 1199, the Abbey became well established enough—and with the acquisition of further lands, tithes and other properties—to survive for the next three hundred and forty years.
Although a relatively large establishment, the abbey was home to no more than 24 canons. The Abbey provided priests at Ilkeston
Ilkeston
Ilkeston is a town within the Borough of Erewash, in Derbyshire, England. It lies on the River Erewash, from which the local borough takes its name. Its population at the 2001 census was 37,550...
, Heanor
Heanor
Heanor is a town in the Amber Valley district of Derbyshire in the East Midlands of England. It is northeast of Derby. According to the census of 2001 the town's population was 22,620.-History:...
, Kirk Hallam
Kirk Hallam
Kirk Hallam is a village in the south-east of Derbyshire in the East Midlands of England. It was part of the former Ilkeston Borough and is largely regarded today as a part of the much larger town of Ilkeston which adjoins it to the north east...
and Stanton by Dale
Stanton by Dale
Stanton by Dale is a village in the South East of Derbyshire, England. It lies south of Ilkeston and North of Sandiacre. Since 1974 it has been part of the Erewash Borough.-Early history:...
.
The Abbey owned around 24000 acres (97.1 km²) of land. Much would have been leased or rented out or used for grazing or for the production of produce for the residents of the Abbey.
In 1539, the Act of Dissolution brought an end to almost four centuries of monastic life in the Dale. The remains comprise a 40-foot-high chancel
Chancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
window. Excavations have shown the church to have possessed transepts 100 feet in length, a crossing tower, a cloister 85 feet square and a nave of unknown length. Some of the remains of the building can be found in houses around the village.
The last Abbot of Dale Abbey, John Bebe, died in 1540.
Sir Francis Pole of Radbourne
Radbourne, Derbyshire
Radbourne is a small village and civil parish in the English county of Derbyshire, a few miles west of Derby. Of interest is St Andrew's church and Radbourne Hall...
took possession of Dale Abbey. The furnishings and fittings were either gradually sold off or stripped out and installed in other churches. Morley
Morley, Derbyshire
Morley is a civil parish within the area of Erewash Borough Council in the English county of Derbyshire, north of Derby It is on the eastern side of Morley Moor, with Morley Smithy to the north. The parish church of St Matthew stands near the Tithe Barn and dovecote of Morley Hall...
Church became home to some of the stained and painted glass, floor tiles and an entire porchway. The ornately carved font cover was installed in Radbourne Church while Chaddesden
Chaddesden
Chaddesden, also known locally as Chad, is a large suburb of Derby, United Kingdom, formerly known as Cedesdene.-Cedesene village:The old village of Cedesene is situated two and a half miles east of the city...
received a window frame. The font eventually found its way back to All Saints Church Dale Abbey in 1884 and the slabs upon which the canons walked for so many centuries can be found in the grounds of the church at the Moravian Settlement at Ockbrook
Ockbrook
Ockbrook is an ancient village in Derbyshire, England. It is almost contiguous with the village of Borrowash, the two only separated by the A52. Ockbrook lies about east of Derby.-History:...
.
Dale Abbey is recorded as the site of the "Wedding of Allan-A-Dale", the third of the stories of Robin Hood.
The village
The church of All Saint's, at just 26 by 25 feet, is probably one of the smallest in the country. It shares a roof with an adjoining farmhouse. Dating from the mid-12th century, it was altered in 1480. It contains a pulpit from 1634. The adjoining farmhouse may have been used as an infirmary for the Abbey. For some time before 1820 it was used as a pub called the Blue Bell, the bar being used as a vestry, with a door into the aisle. It was rebuilt in 1883.Behind the church is an area of woodland. In the wood is Hermit Cave, hewn out of the sandstone cliff by a 12th-century Derby baker who wished to live a life as a recluse. It is well preserved, measuring 6 yards by 3 with a doorway, two windows, a peephole and a niche for a light.
The Carpenters' Arms opened in 1880 and the Methodist Chapel opened in 1902.
The mill