Fountains Hall is situated about five miles west of Ripon, in the West Riding of Yorkshire, and “within two hundred yards” of the famous Abbey, the name of which it “borrowed,” as well as the stones of which it is built. The hall was, indeed, formed out of the ruins of the time-honoured structure; and Sir Stephen Proctor, by whom it was erected, thought, no doubt, he was dedicating to “right uses” the precious relics he had bought, which supplied him with a “quarry”—plentiful and easy of access. It has since passed through various hands; the descendants of the builder held it but a short while: the daughter of Sir Stephen conveyed it, with the manor, to John Messenger, Esq., whose descendant sold it to William Aislabie, Esq.; recently it was the property of the late Miss Lawrence of Studley-Royal; and now, we believe, belongs to the Earl de Grey. Farther than this, little is known of the mansion or its history; and its interest is derived principally, or solely, from the ruined structure—magnificent and beautiful in decay—which it adjoins, and out of the broken columns of which it was raised.

Fountains Abbey[72] ranks among the most picturesque and interesting of the monastic ruins of England. It was founded early in the twelfth century for monks of the Cistercian Order; the locality being then an “uncouth desert,” which supplied no better shelter than “seven yew-trees,” under which the monks made their habitation while their magnificent house was progressing. Yet, long after the stupendous structure was deserted and unroofed, their first dwelling continued in existence; for, so late as the year 1810, six of the seven trees were flourishing above the ground where the builders had congregated, and formed their projects for a great future. In process of time the abbey became richly endowed: such was its repute for sanctity, that princes and nobles “purchased with immense donations” the right of sepulture within its walls; the most illustrious of the northern families were among its benefactors. “Popes and kings seemed to emulate one another in granting to the monks privileges and immunities;” its possessions “stretched from the foot of Pinnigant to the boundaries of St. Wilfred of Ripon, without interruption.” Fountains-fell still retains the name of its ancient possessors; “all the high pastures from thence to Kilnsey were ranged by their flocks and herds;” and “their lands in Craven” amounted to sixty-four thousand acres. At the dissolution, its revenues exceeded a thousand pounds per annum; its site, with the estates thereunto belonging, were sold by the sovereign spoiler to Sir Richard Gresham, who resold them to Sir Stephen Proctor (the builder of the Hall out of the Abbey stones); and the Abbey became a ruin—of deep interest to the antiquary, the artist, and the lover of the picturesque.