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The Abbey was founded in A.D. 1127. Its domains extended
over the whole promontory in which it lies, and to the
north, as far as the Shire Stones on Wrynose. They occupied
the space between Windermere on the east and the Duddon on
the west. The Abbot was a sort of king; and his abbey was
enriched, not only by King Stephen, but by the gifts of
neighbouring proprietors, who were glad to avail themselves,
not only of its religious privileges, but of its military
powers for the defence of their estates against border foes,
and the outlaws of the mountains,- the descendants of the
conquered Saxons, who inherited their fathers' vengeance.
The Abbey was first peopled from Normandy,- a sufficient
number of Benedictine monks coming over from the monastery
of Savigny to establish this house in honour of St. Marye of
Furnesse. In a few years their profession changed: they
followed St. Bernard, and wore the white cassock, caul and
scapulary, instead of the dress of the grey monks. It is
strange now to see the railway traversing those woods where
these grey-robed foreigners used to pass hither and thither,
on their holy errands to the depressed and angry native
Saxons dwelling round about. The situation of the Abbey, as
is usual with religious houses, is fine. It stands in the
depth of a glen, with a stream
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