The enormous and ornate fortified gatehouse of Thornton Abbey is the largest and among the finest of all English monastic gatehouses. An early example of brick building in England, it proclaimed the wool tradebased prosperity of one of the wealthiest English Augustinian monasteries, for centuries a focus of spiritual and economic influence. Begun in the 1360s, the gatehouse was enlarged and fortified with battlements after the Peasants' Revolt of 1381, presumably as insurance against further trouble. Standing some 21 metres (69 feet) high and resembling a castle keepgatehouse, it may have protected the abbey's treasures, as well as providing spacious lodgings for the abbot and his guests. Within the grounds stand the ruins of the monastic buildings, notably the elegantly decorated octagonal chapter house of 1282-1308. These buildings were plundered for stone to build a 'most stately' Jacobean manor house which,mysteriously,'fell quite down to the bare ground without any visible cause' (Abraham de la Pryme). The remains of its formal gardens have recently been rediscovered. This is one of the original wooden doors in Thornton that Cromwell set fire to, broke through and killed everyone inside the abbey. Almost at the end of my Northern Tour now. In fact these photos were taken on the trip home. Thank you for looking, as always any comments or suggestions welcome 8~) ** BEST VIEWED FULLSIZE ** Thank you for the comments on my last upload