When studying the earliest history of Embsay there are not many facts to go on. We know that people lived in the area in the Bronze Age (2500-800BC) because a bronze neck Torc was found on Embsay Moor in the 19^th century.  The known Iron Age and Roman history of the area is based around Elslack, where there was a long-lived Roman fort, and at Gargrave where a large Roman villa has been excavated, with evidence that it was built over earlier Iron Age buildings. Iron Age and Roman period occupation at Embsay and Eastby is therefore likely, but evidence has yet to be found.

The descendants of the Iron Age and Romano-British people continued to live in Embsay until Anglian, and then Scandinavian people were assimilated into the population from the 7th to 10th centuries. The village name of Embsay is believed to be from the Anglian (Old English) meaning ‘Embe’s enclosure’. The name Eastby is derived from the Scandinavian meaning ‘Eastern Farmstead’. Names derived from native British sources are few and far between; The River Aire is believed to mean ‘Powerful River’, the River Wharfe ‘Winding River’. The first written mention of Embsay is in 1089 in the Domesday Book. But the earliest knowledge of any detailed history comes a little later. 

Nine hundred years ago, in 1121, a small Augustinian Priory was founded in Embsay. The priory remained for about 35 years until it was moved to Bolton Abbey, where it developed and thrived until the Dissolution of the monasteries in the reign of Henry VIII. 

It was common for monasteries to move from the first place they were founded (Kirkstall Priory, for example, was first founded near Barnoldswick), with the first location often became a monastic farm. Embsay was different. The church and buildings that had been constructed after 1121 remained in active use for many centuries afterwards, until the middle of the 16th century. It appears to be a site that was treated with reverence, and this has given rise to speculation that there was an earlier monastery or nunnery on the site. 

The history of Embsay Priory is closely tied to the Norman foundation of Skipton Castle. Embsay was part of the lands governed by William de Meschines and his wife Cecily de Romille from Skipton Castle. Cecily was the daughter of Robert de Romille, who had been given the lands around Skipton by King William II at the end of the 11th century. William de Meschines was also the newly installed Lord of Copeland (in modern-day Cumbria). The lands around Skipton had possibly suffered badly when the Normans took control after they had won the Battle of Hastings in 1066. The Domesday Book (1086) states that the lands around Embsay were ‘Waste’. This could mean that the area was laid waste by Norman soldiers in revenge for rebellions against their rule, or simply that it held no economic value, at the time, for the new Norman overlords. 

In 1121, probably in the spring or summer, William and Cecily decided to found a small monastery in Embsay, and a second one at St Bees on the west Cumbrian coast. The monastery at Embsay was probably dedicated to St Cuthbert, or possibly a joint dedication to Cuthbert and St Mary. The monks and their lay-servants built a small stone church, living quarters and possibly the church cloisters. Some Georgian and Victorian antiquarians believed that there was an earlier monastery on the site. This is very unlikely as no pre-Conquest monasteries have ever been found in Craven. Other speculation that the priory was dedicated to St Cuthbert because his followers brought his coffin here whilst escaping the Vikings, is even less likely. 

In 1135 a civil war broke out in England as Stephen and Matilda fought over who would rule the country. This left a power vacuum in the North of England allowing the Scots, under King David I, to invade. They captured Skipton Castle and King David’s nephew married William and Cecily’s daughter, Alice. By the end of the civil war, both Alice’s husband and her mother, Cecily, had died, leaving her in control of the Skipton lands. For the previous 15 years, she had lived as a member of the Scottish royal family, and her children were close descendants of Scottish Kings. Embsay Priory did not offer the opportunity to create a monastery that was suitable for royal benefaction. Cecily decided to move the monastery from Embsay to the site where you can see the ruins of the priory today, Bolton Abbey. Contrary to the popular story, the priory could not have been founded in memory of William, Alice’s son, who, it is said, drowned whilst trying to jump The Strid, as he signed the paperwork agreeing to moving the priory to Bolton. It is possible, that he died soon afterwards, and the developing priory became his memorial. 

I have not forgotten Eastby in this history, but the earliest recorded mention of Eastby is in 1241 when the village is given to Bolton Priory. There is limited early documentation for Eastby, probably indicating that it remained a small settlement. 

The church remained active at Embsay after the Priory had moved to Bolton. It is probable that Cecily, its founder, was buried there. From 14th century records we know that the church was stone-built, with slated roof and with glass in the windows. The living quarters of the old priory were probably used as guest quarters for travellers. After the Dissolution the local land-owners used rents from some of the village fields to pay for the upkeep the church, presumably for village use, but the church fell into disrepair. It was last described as a ruin in 1615. 

The remaining buildings were converted or replaced by a large Tudor house. At the end of the eighteenth century this was demolished a grand Georgian mansion was built on the site with the old house and any other remains being used as a source of stone for the construction. This house remains today, essentially unchanged, as Embsay Kirk. It is also likely that some of the earliest stone buildings in Embsay also used stone taken from the old Priory or the Tudor house. Carved stones can still be seen in gardens across Embsay and Eastby. From the quality of these remnants of stonework, the church and buildings at the Priory were clearly built to a high standard. 

I will be giving a talk titled ‘Embsay Priory and the early history of Embsay’ on the 29th June at 7:30 pm, assuming the Covid restrictions permit. Please look out for further notifications closer to the time, and I will post the details when they are certain. 

St Mary’s Church will be celebrating the 900th anniversary of the Church in Embsay on the 22nd May. Details can be found in the Events Calendar.

A book describing the known and presumed early history of Embsay, the history of the Priory and the more recent history of the site will also be available on the evening of the talk, cost £10. To pre-order a copy please message me at chris@cjlunnon.plus.com. 

Author: Chris Lunnon, Embsay-with-Eastby Historical Research Group, May 2021