Sawley Abbey

Created as a daughter-house of Newminster Abbey, itself a daughter of Fountains Abbey. The chief sponsor of the new abbey was William de Percy II, the son of Alan de Percy, feudal baron of Topcliffe, whose family had controlled the land in this part of Craven since Domesday. In the mid-1140s, Swain, son of Swain, agreed to sell his lease on the site of the new abbey to Abbot Robert of Newminster, also adding a gift of land and wood at Swanside where a fountain (spring) dedicated to St Andrew is mentioned. Percy granted additional lands in the local area for the maintenance of the brethren at Dudland in Gisburn and Ellenthorpe in Paythorne, also confirming gifts from a tenant at Rimington…

The core of the abbey consisted of a four-sided complex built around a courtyard measuring 37 by, known as the cloister. Surrounding the abbey except on the west are many earthworks indicating the sites of structures such as the infirmary, infirmarer's house (keeper of the infirmary), bakery, and brewery along with other buildings, enclosures, gardens, stock pens, and watercourses. The abbey corn mill was located to the south-west of the abbey, near the River Ribble. The leat runs north–south along the base of the hill, cutting a bend in the river. The water supply was augmented via an additional channel from St Mary's Well situated to the north-east of the abbey.