16. Bolton Priory

The nearest monastery to Sutton is Bolton Priory. The monks first settled at Embsay in 1120. While they lived at this place, Cecilia de Rimilli of Skipton Castle, gave them the village of Kildwick in return for their prayers for the soul of her boy, who was drowned while attempting to jump the Strid, a narrow rocky part of the banks of the Wharfe. A priest was sent to live at Kildwick and take charge of the church affairs. Thus the monks gained their first power in the district.

They did not stay long in the somewhat bleak place they had chosen. In 1140 they went to Bolton and built their priory near the river Wharfe. Their lands were fertile, fish would be plentiful in the river, and they were near woods from which they could get many useful things.

The number of brothers kept was small. They did not admit new of low rank. The members were all from leading families of the neighbourhood. Each man brought with him land and money, and soon the Priory became wealthy. In the way they probably gained power at Sutton. In 1379 William de Sutton, of the family previously mentioned, was one of the nineteen monks living at Bolton. When he entered the monastery he would give certain lands. Today in Aden, that is a district on the hillside above Sutton, are two fields called, Lower Kirkfield and Higher Kirkfield. These names are probably left from the time when the monks held some of the district. In 1423 we have further evidence of the power of the monks at Sutton. In this year Robert, Prior of Bolton, summoned Robert Farnhill of Carleton, husbandman; William Watson of Farnhill, husbandman, for cutting and carrying away the Prior's trees and underwood at Bolton-in-Craven and Sutton-in-Ayredale, to the value of £20.