| Summary : The Church of St Leonard is conventionally assumed to have originated as the chapel ante portas (ie before the gates) of Kirkstead Abbey. Such gate chapels were a usual feature of Cistercian monasteries. Whilst the assumption that St Leonard's fulfilled this role at Kirkstead is probably correct, the identification has nevertheless been made without a proper appreciation or discussion of the chapel's anomalous topographical position in relation to the abbey: St Leonard's is situated some 180m south of the abbey precinct whereas field survey indicates that the main abbey gate in fact lay to the north (see TF 16 SE 4). The answer may be that St Leonard's was built on the site of an earlier church on what was already, therefore, sanctified ground. The existence of a church at Kirkstead predating the establishment of the abbey is hinted at by the internal evidence of the abbey's own foundation charter, which states that the abbey was founded at a place already known to the local inhabitants as Kirkstead or 'the place of the church'; it is unclear whether the kirk referred to should be in any way connected with the hermits included as witnesses to that charter (see TF 16 SE 22). However, alternatively (or even in addition) it is also possible that St Leonard's stands on, and therefore preserves, the site of the original abbey church. The abbey was initially founded at an unknown location close to the present site to which it removed at some point in the twelfth century. Recent Air Photo transcription has shown that St Leonard's stands at the centre of two quite large rectilinear enclosures (see TF 16 SE 18) which bear close resemblance to the moat around the existing abbey precinct (see TF 16 SE 4).From the late seventeenth century when the Kirkstead estate passed to Daniel Disney, the church was in use as a non-conformist chapel. In 1793 it reverted to being the Kirkstead parish church. |
More information : TF 1900 6137 St Leonard's Church (Disused) TI (1)
St Leonard's Church, 13th century, was restored in 1913-14. This
must have been the Chapel 'ante portas' of Kirkstead Abbey.
(TF 16 SE 4) (2)
In normal use. (3)
Church of St Leonard. Grade I. (4a)
From the late seventeenth century when the Kirkstead estate passed to
Daniel Disney, the church was in use as a non-conformist chapel. In
1793 it reverted to being the Kirkstead parish church. (The article
also contains a detailed architectural description of the church).
(4b)
TF 1901 6137 (FCE). St Leonard's Church. Surveyed at 1:1000 as part
of the RCHME survey of Kirkstead Abbey.
The Church of St Leonard is conventionally assumed to have originated
as the chapel ante portas (ie before the gates) of Kirkstead Abbey
(auths 2, 4c). Such gate chapels were a usual feature of Cistercian
monasteries, intended for the use of parishioners and dependants of
the abbey to whom worship in the abbey church itself would have been
forbidden. Whilst the assumption that St Leonard's fulfilled this
role at Kirkstead is probably correct, the identification has
nevertheless been made without a proper appreciation or discussion
of the chapel's anomalous topographical position in relation to the
abbey: St Leonard's is situated some 180m south of the abbey precinct
whereas field survey indicates that the main abbey gate in fact lay
to the north (see TF 16 SE 4).
The answer may be that St Leonard's was built on the site of an
earlier church on what was already, therefore, sanctified ground. The
existence of a church at Kirkstead predating the establishment of the
abbey is hinted at by the internal evidence of the abbey's own
foundation charter (4a), which states that the abbey was founded at
a place already known to the local inhabitants as Kirkstead or 'the
place of the church' (4c); it is unclear whether the kirk referred to
should be in any way connected with the hermits included as witnesses
to that charter (see TF 16 SE 22). However, alternatively (or even in
addition) it is also possible that St Leonard's stands on, and
therefore preserves, the site of the original abbey church. The abbey
was initially founded at an unknown location close to the present
site to which it removed at some point in the twelfth century. Recent
AP transcription has shown that St Leonard's stands at the centre of
two quite large rectilinear enclosures (see TF 16 SE 18) which bear
close resemblance to the moat around the existing abbey precinct (see
TF 16 SE 4). (4) |