Kilnsey monastic grange

Description

Gatehouse, Kilnsey Old Hall MYD35861 (c) YDNPA, 2023

Kilnsey was the site of a major grange belonging to Fountain’s Abbey. It formed the administrative centre of a vast estate mainly concentrating on raising sheep for their wool. Records show that the flocks of sheep grazed on Malham Moor were brought down to the grange for shearing and sheep or their wool from all over the abbey’s Craven estates seem to have ended up here as well. There may also have been a manorial court on the site. The gatehouse at Kilnsey Old Hall may incorporate a remnant of this courthouse. Aerial photographs show that the location of the core of the Medieval farm complex seems to have been to the south west of Kilnsey Old Hall, on Outgang Hill. A series of building platforms and enclosures have been recognised there.

Source:

Moorhouse, Stephen (2003) ‘The anatomy of the Yorkshire Dales: deciphering the medieval landscape’ in Manby, T G et al (eds) (2003) The Archaeology of Yorkshire: an assessment at the beginning of the 21st century. Yorkshire Archaeological Society Occasional Paper No 3 pp298-362 [‘Monastic landscapes’ pp336-341]

Ryder, P F (2004) ‘Kilnsey Old Hall’ in White, R F & Wilson, P R (eds) (2004) Archaeology and Historic Landscapes of the Yorkshire Dales. Yorkshire Archaeological Society Occasional Paper No 2 pp127-136