THE ARCHITECTURAL MUSEUM 
17 
their names should ever be venerated. Abbot Stephen ruled 24 
years, giving up his earthly tenure in 1112—800 years ago. 
In the chronicles of a long list of Abbots succeeding Stephen dc 
Whitby, there are two or three outstanding features, and the 
foremost commending itself to notice took place during the gov¬ 
ernment of the 3rd Abbot, Godfrid or Geoffry, who only ruled two 
years. 
The secession of thirteen monks with the assistance of Thurstan, 
Archbishop of York, 9th Oct., 1132, marked the foundation of the 
second Cistercian House in England—this was at Fountains—the 
first being at Whitby. The scene of the struggle between the 
Abbot and Archbishop was well portrayed during the York Pageant. 
We pass on to the 6th Abbot, Robert de Harpham ; nothing is 
recorded beyond his demise in 1189. A fragment of his gravestone 
is in the Museum. 
If what is related of Robert O’Wood—the bold Robin Hood in 
ancient ballads—be allowed to possess any historical truth, the 
Abbots of St. Mary’s must have had a very anxious time during 
that celebrated outlaw and freebooter’s reign. 
Then we come to the great builder, Simon de Warwick. He 
commenced to rule over the community July 25th, 1258. Fired no 
doubt by great zeal and admiration of the graceful lines and con¬ 
tour of mouldings of what we call the Early English style of 
architecture, so beautifully crafted in choir and transepts at 
Whitby and at Rievaulx, also in the chapel of the nine altars at 
Fountains, and transepts at York Minster, he began the rebuilding 
of the Abbey Church of St. Mary. 
The importance of the Foundation rapidly increased under 
Royal patronage, grants of land, liberties and privileges were aug¬ 
mented in the same proportion. Many interesting items may be 
culled from the Royal Charters : take for instance one granted by 
Henry II. to Abbot Savarinus, in which is added certain liberties 
and customs, which were possessed only by the Minsters of York 
and Beverley. Ordering also that when men in the County of 
York should be summoned to serve in the King’s army, a man 
should be found by the Abbot to carry the banner of St. Mary, in 
the same manner as other Churches sent their banners. Charters 
were granted by the successive Kings, Hen. III., Ed. I,, Ed. II., 
Ed. III., Rich. II., Hen. IV., Hen. V., and lastly by Hen. VIII., 
who, by a large Charter, confirmed all the previous grants of liber¬ 
ties, lands and properties, but after his zealous enquiries into the 
