Historic Description of Rievaulx Abbey

Ailred, Alured, or Ealred (a contracted form of Ethelred), a religious and historical writer, supposed to have been born in 1109, but whether in Scotland or in England is not known. Leland states that he was educated in Scotland along with Henry, son of David, king of the Scots. He afterwards came into England and embraced a religious life in the celebrated abbey of Rievaulx, in the north riding of Yorkshire, then a newly-founded house, of which he became the third abbot.

A volume of his religious writings, including thirty-one sermons on Isaiah, a treatise entitled the Mirror of Christianity, and other devotional tracts, was published at Douay in 1631. His principal historical works were first published by Sir Roger Twysden in his collection of early English chroniclers, printed in 1652. Their subjects are – the War of the Stranded in the Time of King Stephen, Genealogy of the Kings of England, the Story of the Nun of Watten, and Lived of Edward the Confessor and of St Margaret, Queen of Scotland.

As a historian Ailred too generally prefers improbable legends to solid truth; but his works are of some value, as they give us occasional glimpses of the life and manners of the time. Ailred died in 1166, and was buried in the church of his monastery, a great part of the walls of which still remain.

It is stated in some biographical works that he was afterwards abbot of the Cistercian monastery of Revesby, in Lincolnshire, but this appears to be incorrect.

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