Published 1st Jul 2023, 06:00 BST

Now, with lottery funding secured as a first step towards exploring more, these Origins stories could one day be at the centre of the abbey - and indeed the town's - story.

The Origins Project, with around £1m more to be sought in time, aims to tease out the tales of the abbey's once famous monastery, brought down by Henry VIII, and of the many rich kings' visits before the collapse of a tower and then two disastrous fires.

Selby Abbey has always been key to the fortunes of the pretty market town that now surrounds it. The two, said Canon John Weetman, are tightly intertwined.

Selby Abbey has secured lottery funding towards the first phase of an Origins project - exploring the founding of the abbey and how it came to be. Legend has it Benedict, a monk from Auxerre in France, had a vision where he was called by God to start a new monastery at Selebiae, and that he would find three swans so knowing he was in the right place. Pictured Reverend Canon John Weetman the vicar of Selby Abbey infront of St Germain window in the North Transept of Selby Abbey one of the most spectacular and impressive stained glass in the Abbey. It contains 46 scenes from the life and legend of the saint, to whom, with Our Lord and St Mary, the Abbey was dedicated. Picture By Yorkshire Post Photographer, James Hardisty.

He said: "The project is to discover more about how the abbey came to be, and indeed how the town has grown up around it. What was it like here, when the abbey was in full flow?"

The wider project, with development work, capital restoration and a community-based activity programme, is a "step closer" to preserving it for another millennium.

"It's finding all sorts of different ways, through visual arts, music, drama, dance, to engage more people in the history of the abbey and how the town itself came to be here."

Selby Abbey, from around 1070 , was founded on the site of an earlier hermitage of Benedict of Auxerre. The monk is said to have experienced a vision, where he was called upon by St Germain to start a new monastery at 'Selebiae', on a site to be marked by three swans.

Selby Abbey has secured lottery funding towards the first phase of an Origins project - exploring the founding of the abbey and how it came to be. Picture By Yorkshire Post Photographer, James Hardisty.

On a great journey from France he had taken first a wrong turn, confusing Salisbury with Selebiae. Finally, at the bend of the River Ouse at Selby, three swans alighted the river.

Ever since, the swans have stood as the Abby Arms, with St Germaine as its patron saint. Over the years a rich history has unfolded, with the collapse of a tower and destructive fires. In 1906, an incredible blaze prompted the most drastic restoration of all.

With the rebuilt, and a great window to be filled with fine stained glass in 1914, came the Germanus Window, or St Germain Window, with 46 scenes from the saint's life and legend.

Now, Selby Abbey has stood for close to 1,000 years as a 'testament to endurance', with the project to be focused on this north transept as the oldest fabric of the building.

The St Germain window in the North Transept of Selby Abbey is one of the most spectacular and impressive stained glass in the Abbey. It contains 46 scenes from the life and legend of the saint, to whom, with Our Lord and St Mary, the Abbey was dedicated. Picture By Yorkshire Post Photographer, James Hardisty.

Applications of this kind are assessed in two rounds, with this first grant of £150,000 from the National Heritage Lottery Fund helping it work towards a second delivery bid for just over £1m. Partners include Selby Abbey PCC, the abbey's trust, and North Yorkshire Council.

To Canon Weetman, there may be a long road ahead, but this is the first step: "It's a great opportunity to interpret that history, and involve people in its future."

Selby: How a tale of three swans and a monk's vision founded one of Yorkshire's finest abbeys