The Abbey Residential Home is situated on the site of a monastery founded by the Gilbertine Order in 1150. We still have a crypt underneath the building and sealed tunnels that reputably once  ran all the way to Malton. 

 

After the dissolution of the monastery in 1540, The Abbey became the private residence of Robert Holgate, the former master of the Gilbertine Order. He went on to found three grammar schools, including Malton School. The priory's main surviving building is St Mary's church , which is now a parish church. It is the only church of the Gilbertine Order still in regular use and is next to The Abbey.

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The property eventually passed into the hands of Charles Smithson, a local solicitor, whose family practice was situated in Chancery Lane in Malton.  During  training Smithson moved to London and became acquainted with Charles Dickens. 

 

The Smithson's family firm offices in Chancery Lane Malton became the inspiration for Scrooge's counting house in A Christmas Carol.  

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Charles Smithson moved to and took up residence at the Abbey in 1844. Unfortunately, he died  that same year. Charles Smithson lives still as Mr Spenlow of  Spenlow and Dorkins in David Copperfield. Like Spenlow, Smithson failed to leave a will. In a letter to his wife from The Abbey,  Dickens describes how the family had  searched high and low at  Smithson's Office and Abbey House ( The Abbey)  but nothing was found. 

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Several searches of the building have been conducted, including most recently in 2023, but  no will has been found ........yet! 

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So, when you choose The Abbey as your home, you follow in the footsteps of one of the worlds most famous authors. 

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Extracts taken from "Charles Dickens- The Malton Connection" Written by Ian R Wray -Great Great Great Nephew of Charles Smithson 

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