Dale Abby Visit

I went to visit the remains of Dale Abbey and the Hermitage in the town of Dale, which is just a bit outside of Ilkeston. Having seen some pictures of the Abbey's window in the Erewash museum.

It is believed that a baker from Derby around the mid 12th century had a vision of the virgin Mary and was instructed to go to Dale or Depedale as it was originally known nd worship in solitude. This started a tradition of worship in Dale and the Abbey was established in 1199. After much of the Abbeys, possessions were sold off or installed into other churches- St Matthews church in Morley have some of the stain glass.

                      

Views as I walked towards the Window

 


Only the east window remains- the landscape around the window is very flat making this huge monument even more imposing - grandness.

                            

Then I walked into a set of woods a short distance from the abbey to the Hermitage, the simple cave has four openings- it would have been divided into two halves- the left side has niches carved for candles and an alter this would have been the chapel and the right would have been the hermit's living quarters. Both on the outside and inside there are centuries worth of graffiti scratched into the soft sandstone- showing the presence of people each wanting to leave their mark- scratching their names their initials. Its insane that you can go up and touch it- it makes the past feel very human.

I'd taken strips of cotton with the intention of taking some rubbings- but the stone was too soft and crumbly to get any good results. 

                         

                                      

                          

                          

                          

                             

      

 In the late 12th century the hermit moved down the hill from his sandstone cave and established another small chapel just a short distance away. The site is now home to All Saints Church. The Tudor style building was added later in 1480 when the chapel was extended and was used as an infirmary for Dale Abbey- after the reformation the infirmary was used as a pub called the blue bell inn. 

                                                       

                        


 

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