The building’s story begins when a colony of Benedictine monks settled in the nearby priory at Coldingham, which was the most northerly ‘daughter’ monastic house of Durham priory, between the years 1098 and 1107. This was under the auspices of King Edgar of Scots who bestowed upon them Eyton (Ayton) and Nether Ayton. This order of monks, also known as the black monks because of the colour of their habits, was named after St Benedict of Nursia.
It is believed that the chapel at Ayton was built at this time and was dedicated to St Dionysius (St Denis, the sainted French bishop). There was an altar dedicated to the
