Cistercian Sculpture: Kirkstall Abbey and Elland Church in the Twelfth Century

Abstract

Throughout Europe a little sculpture survives at most if not all Cistercian abbeys. It can be grouped into three kinds: abstract patterns particularly interlace; foliage designs; human and animal motifs. Kirkstall Abbey, which has Yorkshire’s best-preserved Cistercian abbey church, employs all three kinds in an individual scheme dating from the time of Abbot Alexander (d. 1182). It is suggested that the sculpture at Kirkstall Abbey was intended to make a contribution to community life and could have been inspired in part by the Benedictine Rule. Sculpture at Elland parish church derived in treatment from that at the abbey.

Keywords:

• Cistercian sculpture
• Abbot Alexander
• Benedictine rule
• muzzled beasts
• Kirkstall Abbey
• Elland church

Acknowledgements

Fr. Mark Scott, editor, Cistercian Publications, for help regarding the Speculum Novitii and the Exordium Magnum.

Professor Gillian Evans for her swift response to queries regarding various Latin texts and their meanings.

Translations from the Latin by my neighbour Peter L. Wood, together with discussions along the way.

I am very grateful to Glyn Coppack for introducing me to the intricacies of the latest research into the Cistercians, their legislation and buildings; I hope I have been able to take sufficient account of his assistance.

Thanks are due to Stuart Harrison for pictures taken from the scaffolding during restoration of the west façade of the church in 2005, and for details of the doorway at Strata Florida Abbey; also for allowing me to use his thoughts on a revision of the usual dating for the start of building in stone at Kirkstall.

Figures 2 and 3 are photographs taken in 2000 and 2001 at Fountains Abbey by the late John McElheran for the CRSBI archive.