Holy alliance between the church and the inn (From Gazette & Herald)

Holy alliance between the church and the inn

WITH its impressive frontage, the splendid Byland Abbey, between Coxwold and Wass on the edge of the North York Moors, is well-known to most of our readers.

Likewise, the atmospheric old inn opposite the abbey's entrance is equally well-known; not surprisingly, it is called the Abbey Inn and it stands within the former grounds of this ruined Cistercian religious establishment.

In a remarkable and historic move, English Heritage, which administers Byland Abbey, has recently bought the inn. It is thought to be the first time this kind of purchase has been undertaken by English Heritage.

Not only will this ensure the inn continues to serve travellers and locals alike, it will also guarantee that the beautiful surroundings of this spectacular old abbey are not spoilt by unsympathetic developments.

Even if acquisition of the inn is the first such occasion for English Heritage, it is by no means a new idea so far as the ancient link between abbeys and inns is concerned.

Long before abbeys and monasteries were built, however, people were moving around the country and the notion of a friendly place providing rest and refreshment for travellers was born.

Because the people could not read, keepers of those establishments erected pictorial signs which indicated the service available, eg a vine or a hog's head, depicting wine and food. This was the birth of the inn sign.

By the 13th century, however, there was a huge wave of religious fervour which prompted the faithful to visit holy places on pilgrimages, and this continued into further centuries. Abbeys, monasteries, churches and shrines were the focus of those early tourists, with the wealthiest of them being able to fund their accommodation in the guest rooms of the abbeys.

For the poorer pilgrims, this was not an option and so the abbey authorities themselves began to build special hostels or guest houses for pilgrims. Invariably, they were very close to the abbey or church in question, even being constructed as part of the complex, and they provided food and accommodation, ie board and lodgings.

Pictorial signs were displayed outside these houses to indicate their purpose, but in these cases they generally depicted something associated with the parent religious house. One example is The Bull, even today a well-known inn sign, but it derives from the Latin 'bulla' which means the seal of a collegiate body or monastery.

Not surprisingly, there are many inns which have signs derived from religious symbols, eg Angel, Lamb, Star, Ark, Mitre, Cross Keys and, perhaps the most common, The Bell.

In the days when England was heavily afforested, pilgrims would often follow paths not knowing where they were heading. The nearest abbey would, therefore, sound its bell regularly to guide them, especially at night, and so it was logical to name the hostel The Bell. People would say: "I'm going to the bell."

One of the oldest inns in this country is called Olde Bell, this being a former monastery guest house dating to 1135.

Even inns known as The Ship may be associated with religion or with a monastery, the ship in question being the ark.

One order of monks which specialised in hospitality was the Knights Hospitallers or the Knights of St John of Jerusalem. They regarded hospitality to strangers and pilgrims as being the first of their duties, and when they built their guest houses they were often announced by a white cross, this being their emblem. It was not until centuries later that they turned their attention to the sick and needy.

After the Reformation, however, it was dangerous to associate inns with the historic Catholic faith and so the early houses which continued as inns cunningly changed their signs. They adopted the sign of the White Horse, although this also had other connotations. For example, it was often the emblem of noble families, and it was also carried on the flags of the Saxon invaders. Even the pagan god Odin was often depicted riding a white horse and so this emblem had several meanings not associated with monks and religion. In the great era of the stage coach, however, lots of new coaching inns were named White Horse, with little or no thought of any religious association.

It was destruction of the monasteries at the start of the Reformation which brought to an end the ancient link between inns and abbeys, although many newly Protestant parishes continued the tradition by having brewhouses adjacent to the church. Churchwardens were made responsible for brewing beer with regular events, called ale frolics, being held to raise money for church funds.

Even today, many inns can be found very close to church gates, and some carry the name of Church House.

By purchasing the Abbey Inn at Byland, therefore, English Heritage is reviving a very ancient and welcome tradition.

Updated: 11:32 Wednesday, October 12, 2005