BYLAND ABBEY. 895 



knab, not far from the house of Mr. Smith, whose 

 son conducted me to it ; the tradition respecting 

 which is that a great battle was fought there be- 

 tween the Scots and English, which might have 

 been in the year above alluded to, or at some time 

 not far distant from it, when there were other strug- 

 gles between the Caledonians and this country. 



Byland abbey which was capable of entertaining 

 a prince, is now incapable of affording shelter to any 

 one. The ruins indeed are venerable and interes- 

 ting, showing only what it once was. The west 

 end is perfect, exhibiting a mixture of architecture, 

 Saxon and English, which is seen in the view be- 

 fore inserted. In viewing these remains, how va- 

 rious are the feelings of the human heart, the thoughts 

 flee from one thing to another, in reviewing the past 

 transactions of this extensive place. They contem- 

 plate its establishment, its progress, the great per- 

 sonages which inhabited it, its vast possessions and 

 power, and then they are constrained to descend to 

 its final ruin and view the end of all earthly glory ! 



GILLING. 



Gilling, a parish town in the wapentake of Rydale, 

 5 miles from Helmsley, 8J from Easingwold, 10 

 fronirKirkby-Moorside, and 18 from York. This 

 parish comprises three townships, which contain 

 collectively, a population of 329 inhabitants, viz. 

 Gilling 168, Couton 105, Grimstone 56. The 

 church is a rectory* dedicated to the Holy Cross, in 



* There is a good rectory house attached to the living, 



