page_title: Dale Abbey (ruin)
section_title: Discipline and lapses
hierarchical_section_title: Dale Abbey (ruin) / Canons of Dale / Discipline and lapses
caption_attribution_description: English: Footing of the entrance to the chapter house, apparently an elaborate marble construction, of Dale (Stanley Park) Abbey. Now in the museum at the Abbey ruins, Dale Abbey, Derbyshire.
context_page_description: Dale Abbey, also known as the Abbey of Stanley Park, was a religious house, close to Ilkeston in Derbyshire. Its ruins are located at the village of Dale Abbey, which is named after it. Its foundation legend portrays it as developing from a hermitage, probably in the early 12th century. After several false starts, it was finally constituted as an abbey in 1204. It was affiliated to the Premonstratensians, an order of canons regular in which it played, at times, a leading part among English Houses. It acquired a large number of small properties, concentrated in areas of the East Midlands, developed a network of granges and appropriated a number of lucrative parish churches. Its discipline and reputation varied considerably, particularly in the 15th century, and it seems to have fallen away from the originally austerity. By 1536 its income was well below the threshold set for the Dissolution of Lesser Monasteries. Although there were accusations of grave immorality, the abbey was allowed to pay a fine to continue its existence until 1538.
context_section_description: Discipline in the abbey largely depended on the relationship between the abbot and his canons, who were pledged to obey him. An essential part of maintaining outward and inner discipline was the practice of confession: canons were expected to confess at least thee time a year to their superior, at least in the later decades. During the ootbreaks of plague in the mid-14th century, given the high mortality rate among clergy, both clergy and laity took the precaution of gaining papal permission to confess to someone of their own choosing: William Rempstone of Dale is recorded as doing so in November 1354, following his abbot, William of Horsley in 1351.
  Brother Robert of Derby wote to the former abbot Lawrence, probably around 1290, in terms that suggest he saw the abbot as a friend and spiritual adviser rather than a mouthpiece of authority. After asking for Lawrence's help in reinstating a lay brother who had left the order but sincerely wanted to return, he reported on his further spiritual journey, which involved a stay at remote Cockersand Abbey.
  For the rest, I have found in a desolate region a man after my own heart (viz. the Lord abbot of Cockersand), who showed me many things for your sake. I said I knew you well. May you, if you will, give him great thanks on my behalf in your letters. In all my prayers I desire to hear of your prosperity, which will come to pass, as I hope, when you give me your gracious reply to what I have written above. As for myself, your son and brother, know that I am well, as my health goes, though I should be even better if I could have the pleasure of conversing with you and enjoying your company. Valete.
  It seems unlikely that William of Horsley would have been used so frequently as a visitor unless Dale had good reputation for monastic discipline in the mid 14th century. However, there were clearly variations in reputation. When Redman wrote to Dale in 1474 announcing a visitation, he quoted Genesis 37:14 and then referred to publica infame, which hardly requires translation: the findings of the visitation are not known, but it was certainly additional to Redman's regular cycle, which brought a further visitation the next year. Not until 1478, when Dale was still under the same abbot, John Stanley, does anything of Redman's findings survive. In that year, the visitor general's conclusion was that: "we discovered good reputation, charity and peace, in head and limbs, and nothing criminal in need of correction by either us or the general chapter." His main reservations were that some unauthorised ceremonial practices had crept in, which he ordered to be discontinued, and that the quality of the food needed to be improved if the abbot were to avoid grumbling by the canons.
  Some visitations provide evidence of personal crises, as well as serious infractions by particular canons. In 1482 John York had left the order but had been brought back "by the praiseworthy abbot's circumspection:" there must have been a full recovery of trust, as this is the man who was later to become the abbot's personal chaplain. In 1488 Richard Blackwall was found guilty of "vicious disobedience and open rebellion". It was proposed that he be sent to Alnwick Abbey for forty days of severe punishment. However, his own convent interceded and had the punishment suspended to allow time for him to mend his ways.
  In August 1491 Redman discovered that discipline was suffering because of the "impotence and imbecility" of the abbot and found it necessary to forbid the canons to gamble or keep hounds. The situation cannot have been helped by the presence of two canons who had been sent to Dale from other abbeys for punishment. William or Gyll or Gylling of Coverham Abbey was at Dale on unspecified disciplinary grounds: in 1478 it was said that "he had brought a woman into the dormitory for the satisfaction of his lust," but he had successfully denied the charge. His case was remitted to the provincial chapter of the following year, which transferred him permanently to Sulby Abbey. George Littleport had been sent the Dale in
caption: Footing of the entrance to the chapter house, apparently an elaborate marble construction.
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