initially a savigniac foundation out of normandy, the abbey was later taken over by the cistercian order from burgundy and responsibility for it was taken by byland abbey. founded in 1145 at fors near aysgarth, it was moved ten years later to a site a few miles away on the banks of the river ure. in 1145, in the reign of king stephen, akarius fitz bardolph who was lord of ravensworth, gave peter de quinciano, a monk from savigny, land at fors and worton, in wensleydale to build a monastery of their order. the monastery there was successively called the abbey of fors, jervaulx, and charity. grange, west-north-west of aysgarth, a hamlet in the township of low abbotside, in the parish of aysgarth is the original site of fors abbey. after it was abandoned it was known by the name of dale grange and now by that of the grange alone.