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One of the most tranquil spots in England — the dramatic ruins of Fountains Abbey in Yorkshire — was a brouhaha of industrial action in its bloom during the medieval time period , fit in to young research .
Archaeologists have discovered that the cryptic underground " bowling bowling alley " structure just to the east of the ruin abbey is the buried remains of a knightly tannery , where monks and lay brother processed animal hides into leather — a major profit - make center that would have employed one C of people .
Geophysical surveys and ground-penetrating radar have revealed the buried remains of the buildings and other structures from the medieval tannery.
" This changes the perception of the site , " archeologist Chris Gaffney of the University of Bradford in England told Live Science . Although the forward-looking view is of beautiful abbey ruin , " actually it was an area that was very much focused on industry , quite noisy and quite smelly . "
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Gaffney and his workfellow have research the ruining of Fountains Abbey since 2014 , often using them to train archaeological educatee in non - incursive mapping techniques likemagneticsurveys and ground - penetrate radar .
Archaeologists and students from the University of Bradford have studied the Fountains Abbey site since 2014 with non-invasive archaeological techniques, such as ground-penetrating radar.
The long bowling alley - shaped structure was first detected a few twelvemonth ago in a geophysical survey , which discover moment changes in theEarth ’s magnetic fieldthat revealed where the buried ground had been vex in the past , Gaffney say .
Now , recent work with ground - pervade radar has established that the tannery once get across the entire width of the valley floor around the abbey , according to a statementfrom the university .
It included two strong stone buildings , one of them at least 100 feet ( 30 meter ) long and more than a single story improbable , with lined pits , tanks and other structures around them . The buildings were also beside the River Skell that still runs through the valley , which would have provided the piss needed by the tannery , the statement say .
Fountains Abbey in Yorkshire, England.
Wealthy monastery
Fountains Abbey was founded in A.D. 1132 by 13 Benedictine monks who had been throw out from an abbey in the urban center of York after a riot there . They joined the Cistercian order of monk the yr after that , and the establishment grew into one of the wealthiest monasteries in England .
record show that about 60 monks were living there by A.D. 1170 , as well as about 200 secular brothers — often skilled craftsman , such as stonemasons , smiths and tanners , who were all-important to the economy of the abbey but who were not develop enough to take holy lodge .
Fountains Abbey operated for more than 400 geezerhood , during which time it became an all-inclusive landowner , with many farm forsheepand cattle scattered throughout the region , Gaffney said .
The buried remains of the medieval tannery at Fountains Abbey were detected to the east of the abbey building, beside the river.
But in 1539 , the English crown impound the abbey and all its lands during the dissolving of the monastery by Henry VIII — a successful effort to break the economical major power of the Catholic church in England — and sold the estate off to friends of the Martin Luther King .
The monks were direct away and the abbey building — an architectural marvel — was clean of stone , lumber and lead for sale as building materials , harmonise to the National Trust , an English inheritance charity that now owns the site .
Gaffney say it seemed Henry VIII ’s agents were not concerned in keeping the tannery hold up , and the new research shows it was eventually burn to the earth .
Industrial activity
The macrocosm of the chivalric tannery at the site is affirm by records from the prison term , Gaffney said .
" We eff that there are processing hides on the site , " he said . " This was an immensely wealthy abbey , and their wealth come from beast . "
The tannery would have used brute hides from the abbey ’s many farms , remove the hair , degreasing them , and curing the skin with an acidic compound found in Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree barque promise tannin , which give the physical process its name .
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Sometimes hides were part putrefy during the unconscious process , and some treatment used urine and dung , which contributed to the terrible smell that tannery are notorious for .
Eventually , the leather from the mediaeval tannery would have been used for wear , furnishing , bedding , bookbinding and the vellum or lambskin that the monastic Scribe used to simulate religious texts , Gaffney say .
" They used it for everything , " he said . " In that period , there was n’t a number of an brute that could n’t be used , one room or another . "
Now that archaeologists have determine the purpose of the mysterious structures , there are no design to excavate them , and they will remain forget , he said .
" The area it is on is part of a very beautiful approach to the abbey , " he said . " I imagine the National Trust will feel comfortable knowing what ’s down there , without necessarily having to dig it up . "
in the first place publish on Live Science .
