The place was sold within a few months to Richard Gresham, a gentleman of London, who paid seven thousand pounds for it. In 1597, the heirs of Gresham sold it to Stephen Procter, a courtier of Elizabeth, who pulled down some of the buildings outside the cloister that he might get materials for his fine new Fountains Hall, near the west gate. His affairs falling into great confusion the place was again sold, and thereafter passed from hand to hand until, in the middle of the eighteenth century, it came into the possession of William Aislabie, the owner of the neighbouring estate of Studley Royal. From whose granddaughter, Miss Lawrence, it passed by will to the Earl de Grey, the uncle of the present owner, the Marquess of Ripon. Printed by BALLANTYNE, HANSON & CO. London & Edinburgh [Illustration: HISTORICAL GROUND PLAN FOUNTAINS ABBEY] [Illustration: Plan of the Precinct FOUNTAINS ABBEY] End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Fountains Abbey, by George Hodges