[Retlaw]

Originally Posted by Bob Dobson

See the book 'Lancashire's Medieval Monsteries' by Brian Marshall. which I published in2006.
Towards the end of the 12th century, Robert de Lacy gave the whole of the land we call Accrington to the Cistercians at Kirkstall. They set about farming it (grange is a French word meaning barn, but it also means estate) The Cistercians kicked the existing locals off the land, which enraged them, so they attacked the graange, burning it to the ground. 3 lay-brothers ( not monks, but blokes employed by the monstery to ruin the place) were killed - Norman, Humphrey & Robert. de Lacy
banished the wrong-doers and forced them to give up any rights they had in the area.They also had to pay.

Order restored, the abbbot rebuilt the grange and brought the estate back into productuion. Howevber, it onmly lasted until 1287, when it was returned to de Lacy,
,who paid him 50 marks annually.

Strange that we should call it Black Abbey, because Cistercians wore white habits.

There is a lot more to the story of the monks of Kirkstall than what you've shown, and some of it missleading. There are several documents in the Coucher book of Kirkstall relating to what was then know as the Vill of Akerington, it originally belong to Hugh son of Leofwine the Saxon before 1066. Hugh had 3 sons their names translate as William, Adam & Elias.
Those records are written in Latin, with the help of Josie Green in the Library, and member of the Catholic church. I managed to tranlate most of them.
Retlaw.