Easby
Title
Easby
Also Known As
Esebi, Sancta Agatha de Richemunt, Sancte Agatha de Eseby
Dates
Founded 1151; dissolved 1536/37
Dedication
Agatha, Mary
Affiliation
Medieval Diocese
Circary
History
Easby was founded as a Premonstratensian house by Roald, constable of Richmond Castle, in 1155. Its history is poorly documented. In the late 14th century, it came under the patronage of the influential Scrope family.
Easby was suppressed in 1536, and ownership of the site passed into private hands. Its church is still in use as the parish church, and contains surviving 13th-century wall paintings.
Easby was suppressed in 1536, and ownership of the site passed into private hands. Its church is still in use as the parish church, and contains surviving 13th-century wall paintings.
Heads of Community
Abbots
Martin, ca. 1155
Ralph, ca. 1162-ca. 1191
Geoffrey, ca. 1204-ca. 1209
Elias, by 1224-1228
Robert de St. Agatha, ca. 1230-ca. 1237
Henry, ca. 1241-ca. 1246
William, fl. 1255
John of Newcastle (or de Novo Castro), ca. 1260-ca. 1300
Thomas, fl. 1302
Richard de Bernyngham (or of Barningham), 1302-1307
William de Ereholm (or of Ergum), 1307-?
Roger de Walda, 1308/9?
William de Burelle (or of Burrill), fl. 1310/11
A., fl. 1313
Philip de Siggeston, 1315-?
Nigel de Ireby, 1320-?
John de Percebrigg (or of Piercebridge), 1328-?
John de Thexton, fl. 1330
Thomas de Haxley (? Harley), 1345-aft. 1351
William Isaac, fl. 1375?
John (de Esby?), ca. 1382-ca. 1412
Robert, fl. 1422-23
William Langle, ca. 1430-ca. 1435
Robert Preston, 1448-1470
William York, 1470-1475
Roger de Newhouse, fl. 1475?
William Ellerton, ?-1492
William Clintes, 1492-1493
William Lingard, 1492/3-aft. 1506
Robert Bampton, 1511-1522
Martin, ca. 1155
Ralph, ca. 1162-ca. 1191
Geoffrey, ca. 1204-ca. 1209
Elias, by 1224-1228
Robert de St. Agatha, ca. 1230-ca. 1237
Henry, ca. 1241-ca. 1246
William, fl. 1255
John of Newcastle (or de Novo Castro), ca. 1260-ca. 1300
Thomas, fl. 1302
Richard de Bernyngham (or of Barningham), 1302-1307
William de Ereholm (or of Ergum), 1307-?
Roger de Walda, 1308/9?
William de Burelle (or of Burrill), fl. 1310/11
A., fl. 1313
Philip de Siggeston, 1315-?
Nigel de Ireby, 1320-?
John de Percebrigg (or of Piercebridge), 1328-?
John de Thexton, fl. 1330
Thomas de Haxley (? Harley), 1345-aft. 1351
William Isaac, fl. 1375?
John (de Esby?), ca. 1382-ca. 1412
Robert, fl. 1422-23
William Langle, ca. 1430-ca. 1435
Robert Preston, 1448-1470
William York, 1470-1475
Roger de Newhouse, fl. 1475?
William Ellerton, ?-1492
William Clintes, 1492-1493
William Lingard, 1492/3-aft. 1506
Robert Bampton, 1511-1522
Status
Abbey
Archival Sources
Chester, Cheshire Archives and Local Studies
DCH/X/15/1 (14th c.)
Kew, National Archives
E 326/13149 (13th c.)
INF 9/137/2 (1920s-40s; photograph)
INF 9/137/3 (1920s-40s; photograph)
INF 9/137/4 (1920s-40s; photograph)
INF 9/137/5 (1920s-1940s; photograph)
INF 9/137/7 (1920s-1940s; photograph)
WORK 31/1182 (1938; plan)
WORK 31/1183 (1938)
WORK 31/1184 (1938; plan)
WORK 31/1185 (1938; plan)
Leeds, Yorkshire Archaeological and Historical Society
MS 399 (19th c.; plans)
MS 1119 (1916; plan)
MS 1141 (Later cartulary copy)
MS 1237 (19th/20th c.; notes)
London, British Library
MS Egerton 2827. (13th c.; cartulary)
Northallerton, North Yorkshire County Record Office
ZRL 3/63,66-7,69 (12th/13th c.)
ZBL 4/11/5 (1579; later copy)
Stamford, Burghley House
202/153,156;203/144 (13th c.)
Swindon, Historic England Archive
AL0226/042/02 (20th c.; postcard)
AL0226/042/03 (20th c.; drawing)
DCH/X/15/1 (14th c.)
Kew, National Archives
E 326/13149 (13th c.)
INF 9/137/2 (1920s-40s; photograph)
INF 9/137/3 (1920s-40s; photograph)
INF 9/137/4 (1920s-40s; photograph)
INF 9/137/5 (1920s-1940s; photograph)
INF 9/137/7 (1920s-1940s; photograph)
WORK 31/1182 (1938; plan)
WORK 31/1183 (1938)
WORK 31/1184 (1938; plan)
WORK 31/1185 (1938; plan)
Leeds, Yorkshire Archaeological and Historical Society
MS 399 (19th c.; plans)
MS 1119 (1916; plan)
MS 1141 (Later cartulary copy)
MS 1237 (19th/20th c.; notes)
London, British Library
MS Egerton 2827. (13th c.; cartulary)
Northallerton, North Yorkshire County Record Office
ZRL 3/63,66-7,69 (12th/13th c.)
ZBL 4/11/5 (1579; later copy)
Stamford, Burghley House
202/153,156;203/144 (13th c.)
Swindon, Historic England Archive
AL0226/042/02 (20th c.; postcard)
AL0226/042/03 (20th c.; drawing)
Reference
Cottineau, I: col. 1015
Dugdale, 921-923
Europeana: View of the ruins of Easby Abbey (1784); view of the ruins of Easby Abbey (Late 18th c.); view of the ruins of Easby Abbey (1788); Gatehouse sketch (1780)
HE: Easby Abbey Premonstratensian monastery: monastic precinct, cultivation terraces, water-management features and ancillary buildings; Ruins of Abbey of St Agatha; Church of St Agatha, Easby; Abbey gatehouse; Barn
Hugo, I: 135-138
MP, II: 53-55; III: 616
NCT: Easby Abbey
PAS: Refectory (interior); refectory; refectory (exterior); refectory (exterior); church (exterior)
VW, 253
Dugdale, 921-923
Europeana: View of the ruins of Easby Abbey (1784); view of the ruins of Easby Abbey (Late 18th c.); view of the ruins of Easby Abbey (1788); Gatehouse sketch (1780)
HE: Easby Abbey Premonstratensian monastery: monastic precinct, cultivation terraces, water-management features and ancillary buildings; Ruins of Abbey of St Agatha; Church of St Agatha, Easby; Abbey gatehouse; Barn
Hugo, I: 135-138
MP, II: 53-55; III: 616
NCT: Easby Abbey
PAS: Refectory (interior); refectory; refectory (exterior); refectory (exterior); church (exterior)
VW, 253
Bibliography
Clarkson, Christopher. The History of Richmond, in the County of York; Including a Description of the Castle, Friary, Easeby Abbey, and Other Remains of Antiquity in the Neighbourhood. Richmond: T. Bowman at the Albion Press, 1814. https://archive.org/details/historyofrichmon00clar.
Fergusson, Peter. “The Refectory at Easby Abbey: Form and Iconography.” The Art Bulletin 71, no. 3 (1989): 334–51. https://doi.org/10.2307/3051133.
Goodall, John Archibald. Richmond Castle and Easby Abbey. English Heritage Guidebooks. London: English Heritage, 2016.
Hope, W. H. St John. “On the Praemonstratensian Abbey of St Agatha Juxta Richmond.” Yorkshire Archaeological and Topographical Journal 10 (1889): 117–58. https://books.google.com/books?id=07w5AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA117.
Hunter Blair, C.H. “Note on a Pillar Stoup from Easby Abbey.” Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle upon Tyne, Third Series, 10 (1922): 312–15. https://books.google.com/books?id=oHA_AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA312.
“Ivory Pastoral Staff Head.” Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle upon Tyne 9 (1900): 216. https://books.google.com/books?id=qegRAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA216.
O’Connor, David. “Twelfth-Century Stained Glass in Easby Parish Church, North Yorkshire.” In Medieval Art: Recent Perspectives. A Memorial Tribute to C.R. Dodwell, edited by Gale R. Owen-Crocker and Timothy Graham, 104–27. Manchester: Manchester University Press, 1998.
Page, William, ed. “Premonstratensian Houses: Abbey of St Agatha, Easby.” In A History of the County of York, 3:245–49. London, 1974. https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/yorks/vol3/pp245-249.
Raine, James. “On Easby Abbey.” Associated Architectural Societies Reports and Papers 2 (1853): 316–30.
Rowe, G. “The Abbey of St Agatha, for White or Augustine Canons, Called Praemonstratensians, at Easby.” Associated Architectural Societies Reports and Papers 10 (1870): 57–65. https://hdl.handle.net/2027/hvd.32044090391855?urlappend=%3Bseq=197%3Bownerid=27021597764670323-201.
The Penny magazine of the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge. “Easby Abbey, Yorkshire.” August 13, 1836. https://hdl.handle.net/2027/inu.30000093219388?urlappend=%3Bseq=325.
Waine, George W. “The Coucher-Book of Easby Abbey.” Notes and Queries 161 (July 11, 1931): 27.
Werronen, Stephen. “The Bolton Scropes and Easby Abbey: A Family Mausoleum in Context.” Bulletin of International Medieval Research 19 (2013): 26–40.
Image Credit
The ruins of the refectory of Easby Abbey, 2014. Wikimedia.
Files
Collection
Citation
“Easby,” A Premonstratensian Atlas, accessed October 16, 2026, https://yvonneseale.org/atlas/items/show/93.