Egglestone Abbey was founded in 1195 for Premonstratensian canons. Unlike other similar religious houses it maintained a small number of monks and remained poor, so much so that an enquiry was held to determine if it should be downgraded to that of a priory. It suffered at the hands of marauding Scots during the 14th century and often benefited from the exemption of taxes in order to survive.  

After the Dissolution of the Monasteries it was converted into a mansion house and later into farmworkers’ dwellings.