Old Cumbria Gazetteer |
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| Kirkstall Abbey, West Yorkshire | ||
| Kirkstall Abbey | ||
| locality:- | Kirkstall | |
| locality:- | Leeds | |
| county:- | West Yorkshire | |
| locality type:- | abbey | |
| locality type:- | religious house | |
| 1Km square:- | SE2635 | |
| 10Km square:- | SE23 | |
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| evidence:- | descriptive text:- West 1778 (11th edn 1821) placename:- Kirkstall Abbey |
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| source data:- | Guide book, A Guide to the Lakes, by Thomas West, published by
William Pennington, Kendal, Cumbria once Westmorland, and in
London, 1778 to 1821. goto sourceTour to the Caves in the West Riding of Yorkshire, late 18th century Page 281:- "..." "About four miles before we arrived at Leeds, in our way from Bradford, we were suddenly presented with the grand and venerable ruins of Kirkstal Abbey, full in view from the road. We stood some minutes looking with silent respect and reverence on the havoc which had been made by time on this sacred edifice. How much soever we might condemn the mistaken notions of monkish piety, that induced the devotees to lethargic supineness, and to forsake all the social duties of life in order to be good men; yet we secretly revered that holy zeal which inspired them to exert every power in erecting structures, the magnitude and beauty of which might excite ideas worthy of the Deity to whom they were dedicated; and also reprobated that fanatic bigotry which suffered them to decay and go to ruin, because they were once inhabited by a set of christians whose manner of worship was not orthodox. While we were moralizing thus on religious prejudices, the instability of the works of men's hands, and the fading glories of this world, we came to Leeds. ..." |
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