How Medieval Monks Lived - A Visit to Cleeve Abbey, Somerset

Join this channel to get access to perks:
/ @allanbarton

[@stepps511]

Thank you, Allan, for this lovely tour. The Abbey is a wonder since it's so much intact compared to the majority of them. The tiled floor is exquisite and a British treasure. As ever, I am grateful for this channel, and look forward to your next one! With gratitude.

[@carrie4696]

That floor is an extraordinary survival, absolutely beautiful

[@JonathanLight1]

Amazing structures. Lovely.

[@388Caroline]

Thank you, Allan. 🙏 I Would love to visit this beautiful Abbey

[@laurare4389]

I live nearby a cistercian monastery here in Italy and I'm passionate about their architecture, which is very peculiar. Cleeve's tiles are amazing!

[@hugolandheer7008]

I really would not mind watching these sites for an hour instead of 15 minutes and see more details. I love the slow and gentle filming, giving us the possibillity to have a good look al all details! Thank you!

[@Marian-pb7fd]

I'm with you, an hour or 2 on this and others would be great

[@carrie4696]

I agree! Maybe the algorithm has “opinions” on video length

[@kskssxoxskskss2189]

The whole three hours would be fine for me! But thanks for this much.

[@suemills9045]

Going back a few years I got a personal tour of the abbey from one of the helpers who was a friend of ours . Very interesting place . The tiles are lovely and so are the grounds .

[@elizabethmcglothlin5406]

What a remarkable tile floor!

[@l.a.glover9172]

Interestingly, I watched Time Team last night, Season 14, episode 12. They were trying to find a Cistercian Abbey in Cheshire. Your tour of Cleeve Abbey has made it all come alive and make sense. The tile floor is stunning. Thank you, Allan.

[@cmotherofpirl]

It makes me sad such places are gone.

[@anne-marie2972]

Thank you Allan for this wonderfull tour. Greetings from Finland 🇫🇮❤. It love old buildings (medieveval especially)with rich history .Love yours country.

[@knightwatchman]

Well done, Allan. You are the best. I'll bet that abbey church was stunning in its day.

[@idreamofparis7233]

Wonderful that so much has survived.

[@YorkistRaven]

I was riveted by this beautiful and information packed video. You are so good at these. No one else I've seen on KZbin provides as much information with their videos of ancient places as you do. We can enjoy watching vids of places but not know what we are looking at. You provide the context which makes it a much richer experience to see the places. Gobsmacked so much of it remains. I would love to visit it. The timber ceilings (I have only seen a few this old), tile work, extant paintings and lovely stone work are so evocative of their time. The vast destruction of the Dissolution breaks my heart. How devastating it must have been to people when it happened! 😢

[@annettewillis2797]

Fascinating tour of Cleeve Abbey. You really get a feel of how Medieval monks lived and how the community was integrated into the local area. So informative as always Allan, thankyou.

[@bobife1253]

I visited Cleve Abbey just over a year ago. I also spent about 3 hours walking all over the grounds and buildings. Fascinating place. I was not so fortunate as you in that it rained all the time I was there. Not that that bothered me. I ended up sitting on one of the benches under an umbrella soaking in the atmosphere. I shall have to visit again soon - hopefully on a dry day next time!

[@jefferycsm]

Allan, you referenced “internal Justice”, could you please do a story on that for monks and nuns? I’ve only seen “Cadfael” and their version of it. Loved this episode!!!

[@jilltagmorris]

The diagram with different red blocks was brilliant. It really helped me anyhow!!! This was so well done! You outdid yourself....AGAIN ❤❤❤

[@Lisette777]

this was a beautiful tour! I loved the tiles and the ceiling beams. Such a lovely place to go wander round in. It looks quite peaceful. Thank you so much, Allan!

[@Shineon83]

Such beautiful, clean water in the river-crystal clear

[@Parianparlay]

Thank you so much for this tour. The Abbey looks to be so well maintained.. what a treat to see those beautiful tiled floors! 💫😘

[@nadiabrook7871]

Wow!! What a FASCINATING place!! It's a miracle that so much of the monastery has survived this long!!👍❤💗🤗

[@pamelaroyce5285]

Please remember to provide the link to English Heritage. This was a marvelous tour.

[@stevedunn3113]

Brilliant, Allan. I've long hoped to visit Cleeve and now your tour has reminded me to do something about it!

[@sandie157]

Hi Allan, what incredible treasures the UK lost due to Henry and Elizabeth l. I can't seem to find the link to the book on Cleve Abbey. Please can you tell me where it is? Thanks.

[@lorddevonshire6382]

The English people have been living in denial for 500 years. Many people, even if they are not particularly Christian, still have a vague notion that the Reformation was 'a good thing' the Middle Ages were dark, superstitious and scary, and that the monks were useless layabouts. It's high time to reclaim our Catholic heritage. Thank you, Allan, for your accurate and loving portrayal of mediaeval England.

[@suebruce493]

Isn’t it sad that these people are so ashamed of, and even insult their own rich heritage, allowing lesser groups to rule over them and spread lies about their heritage and religion. It’s depressing to hear the horrible lies about the past, not on this channel but others. Hopefully one day the truth will be told.

[@murphychurch8251]

How wonderful! So well preserved compared to other abbeys! 😍 Thank you very much for taking us with you. I wish I could visit it and stare at the walls for hours. Yes, I love taking my time, staring and imagining and starting to notice every little detail. And Cleeve Abbey has enough nooks and crannies to spend days to stare at them. 😂

[@rhiannonpoole6019]

Thank you so much for this lovely video. Even through the ether I felt the peace and atmosphere of the place, due to your careful filming and reverent gentle commentary.

[@martinwarner1178]

Brilliant tour, thank you greatly. Peace be unto you.

[@donnaorton9547]

Those beautiful tiled floors!

[@froodychick]

Beautiful Abby. Thank you for the tour!

[@oldhippy1947]

Thanks, Allan. Another interesting and educational tour.

[@allanbarton]

Thank you, it is such a fascinating place.

[@aileenbuckle8062]

Another great video Allan-thank you. I'm fascinated by the dissolution of the Monasteries-and seeing this was a treat. What those walls must have seen is mind blowing to me. Many Thanks for bringing it to life.

[@deniseatkins9407]

Wow what an amazing place I have only been to abbey's that have totally been destroyed

[@EllenCFarmGirl]

Truly Lovey, I enjoy these visits so much! The medieval floor is a wonderful gem. I’ve only seen samples on Time Team…Te he he! Thank you for again sharing, I always learn something and have my online reference at hand so I can take a deeper dive and decipher new words! ❤

[@d14551]

This was very interesting, thank you. I especially appreciated that the abbot's plaque (tile?) is still there.

[@knutanderswik7562]

I love those tiles, what a treat to see them laid out in a riot like that! The episode of Time Team where they tried to recreate them is one of my favorites, explaining how they were produced by a central industry and sold by itinerant tile merchants, I suppose by ox-cart. From this evidence, it seems that their reconstructions of patterns as laid seem to be entirely too regular hahaha

[@mackdog3270]

Beautiful stone work.

[@jimmeltonbradley1497]

Thanks for this really excellent video. The Abbey is less than 20 miles from where I live in Somerset, and I've been planning to visit for some years. Unfortunately, first Covid, and then family issues have got in the way. However, I hope to visit it this summer.

[@allanbarton]

Glad you enjoyed the video, and I do hope you manage to visit, it's a wonderful place.

[@pjk1714]

Another great find to share. Those floors are incredible. So much hand work to create those. Thank you

[@orlando1a1]

Thank you, Allan, for a wonderfully informative and insightful video into the fascinating history and surviving claustral buildings of Cleeve Abbey - it was genuinely enjoyable to watch.

[@mackdog3270]

I'm not much for religion, but I've always had an interest in medieval monks and how they lived. It was inspired by the Brother Cadfael mysteries, written by Ellis Peters. Good stuff.

[@taraelizabethdensley9475]

I have all the Cadfael books, they're fantastic stories

[@christinesuccop1812]

So glad this place has survived. So beautiful and the tile floor ❤. You make history come alive. Don't worry about your videos being to long 🤩

[@t.c.bramblett617]

That tile work is amazing. Imagine the tile painters doing each one by hand.

[@GrumpyKitten375]

Thank you Allan...such a wonderfully absorbing history....Thank you again

[@carolescutt2257]

We have a caravan on a beautiful tural site in Mark somerset and having visited Cleeve a number of times i never knew much of this! Msny thanks Allan x

[@Floortile]

You do pick the most fascinating and beautiful places to visit; your channel is an absolute delight.

[@allanbarton]

Thank you very much!

[@kathywolfe6606]

Thanks for the great maps. They really help me understand the layout.

[@David.M.]

Thanks Allan, this was a great tour of the abbey.

[@trimegistus]

I wouldn't mind a 3 hour long video 😅

[@Marian-pb7fd]

I'm with you, I really enjoy his videos

[@michaelamos4651]

Thankyou Alan for a wonderful tour.

[@allanbarton]

My pleasure Michael, it is a fascinating place.

[@kevinhouse7143]

Hi Allan, what a wonderful location and interesting history. Over here in Canada and I believe the US as well our ground floor and 1st floor are interchangeable. Your first floor is our second. But I suspect you already knew that. ;-)

[@adamATOM3]

Incredible. Thank you for making this video!

[@TheGreenManFJ]

Brilliant video with very informative and knowledgeable commentary. Thank you. I visited the abbey a couple of years ago and it brought back good memories

[@deborahmorgan6848]

So interesting and beautifully filmed.

[@ffvvaacc]

This was lovely. Thank you for taking us all there. 🙂

[@marthavanbeek-putters]

I have read about this but seeing it in your videos is something else. Thank you for the videos and your clear explanations. Martha

[@ashleypenn7845]

Perfect for our homeschool unit. Thanks for sharing!

[@allanbarton]

I am pleased, I homeschool my own children too!

[@debsbennett5632]

Absolutely loved this site when we visited. Absolute gem

[@michaelandmarychapman4394]

Thanks

[@allanbarton]

Thank you.

[@Odo55]

This was a real interesting video. Does anyone know what they used for a level ? How did they manage to build such upright walls while maintaining levelness, right angles and straight lines ? The mortar they used must've been from a perfect recipe. No wonder that masons were highly regarded .

[@michaelhealy1590]

Another absolutely amazing story.

[@educanassa100]

Thank you,Allan

[@michealgillman7418]

Fascinating once again and another on the list to visit. Thank you, once again!

[@anthonyanderson2880]

Thankyou for a great walk through.

[@kristi9475]

Thank you, Allan, for this interesting tour! It was timely as I just finished C. J. Sansom's novel "Dissolution" which takes place during the years King Henry VIII was dismantling and redistributing the wealth of the monasteries. The monks in the novel lived very well, indeed! And then the party was over ...

[@allanbarton]

Timely indeed! Glad you appreciated the video ☺️

[@TerryC69]

Hi Allan! It looked to be a day of fantastic weather for a day trip. A lovely location. Thanks for taking the time to document your visit.

[@janedee6488]

So lovely and atmospheric. Thank you!

[@pixbychris3182]

Love this video. We are fortunate to have so much history around us. That Henry VIII and his men did a good job of destroying things.

[@skadiwarrior2053]

Fascinating tour. I'm amazed and very pleased that these places still exist and not disappeared under a housing estate.

[@Marian-pb7fd]

Thank you again Allen for another great video. I came across your channel at the time you posted on the Royal vault at Saint George and have been hooked ever since. I also saw your post on the vault on the Stuart's, another amazing post. You said that you were going to go back because others deserved a post of their own, do you know when you'll be doing this. Lastly is everyone in Westminster buried in vaults? Are any just covered over by the slab you see at top? I am very interested in Pit the Younger and came across something saying he was buried in a vault with his family in Westminster, do you know if this is true?

[@omnipitous4648]

Very nicely done. You have a great talent. I implore you to take advantage of this gift. (Edit) I see you have a body of work, and I see I have been subscribed for quite a while. I just felt I had to say I loved this video. Please, please continue.

[@jennifermel687]

Love the tiles, so beautiful.

[@havingalook2]

Lovely presentation of this abbey, thank you.

[@allanbarton]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@sweptashore]

Another great visit. That tile floor is a gem.

[@Fr.AugustineKelly]

Another masterful video. Thank you.

[@marylutyger675]

Lovely! Thank you!!

[@yellowlabrador]

my second tour in 2 weeks. Was there a secret rendezvous between my 2 favourite youtubers?

[@StevenJeNova]

Thank you! 😃👍

[@allanbarton]

You're welcome!

[@paulwarry6287]

Very enjoyable. Cheers pal.

[@ronaldmessina4229]

Another wonderful presentation 😊

[@PK-yf3hd]

Once more as a now aged Catholic ,I vent what spleen remains to me and struggle not altogether successfully with thoughts of forgiveness

[@stylembonkers1094]

Wonderful vid on a glorious day.

[@MZophiel]

Thanks for that, very good video.

[@happycommuter3523]

So beautiful!

[@lianefehrle9921]

I’m going back to the old videos I have not seen

[@allanbarton]

I hope you are enjoying them Liane.

[@kimberlyperrotis8962]

Wonderful, thank you. Didn’t carrodians often sign over their properties in exchange for maintenance by an abbey? Instead of a payment in cash, I mean. This was done especially when couples or individuals had no heirs, but this might be called by another term than carrodian. I understood that this was one way the medieval abbeys grew their assets and income.

[@VeroniqueAiyacs]

Thank you for this comprehensive look at the abbey. However, I am interested in the logistics of catering for everyone so would like to have seen the kitchens. I imagine they would be massive but were they? Regards, Veronique.

[@fotisvon9943]

It is very rare to see an intact dormitory that housed the monks when they slept in common rather than cells which came later on.

[@johnhaynes9910]

Excellent.

[@novianovioTV]

Great. Thanks.

[@johngibbs799]

They lived dam good!! Drank plenty wine. Worked hard. Hardest part was just getting along. And the tags.

[@amymahers2957]

Great video!

[@conemadam]

´Thank you again for this wonderful tour. I get very angry when I hear the word « dissolution » used euphemistically instead of greed and destruction. What a great loss to the world!Grrrrrrrrrrr……….

[@taraelizabethdensley9475]

Henry 8th was a greedy and wicked man

[@cannett8966]

Helping out those pesky algorithms 💚💚💚🍀🍀🍀

[@petersack5074]

Somerset, ? somewhere in England ? Sounds like it is......summer half over here in Canada. Very hot, today in Alberta Canada.

[@tuathde1529]

Love your videos Mr. Barton. Always stunning and interesting. Also, I have a bone or two to pick with Henry. Greedy guts.

[@laurac8659]

I think a monks life would have been quite peaceful 🌷

[@theoldar]

I'll take longer videos!

[@Lovealonewins]

This monastery does not ve members anymore?

[@allanbarton]

Not since 1536 when all English monasteries were dissolved.

[@Lovealonewins]

@@allanbarton thankyou ❤️

[@Lovealonewins]

@@allanbarton May I know who own this beautiful plot of land now?