A NEWLY-opened cafe at one of North Yorkshire's spectacular ruins was given an official blessing yesterday.

A monk from Ampleforth Abbey visited the cafe at nearby Rievaulx Abbey to bless the building and wish it a long and successful future.

Father Chad, a Benedictine monk, said prayers and sprinkled the cafe with Holy Water.

"According to the teachings of St Benedict, abbeys should offer visitors hospitality with separate kitchens manned by at least two brothers," said Rievaulx Abbey's Janice Rose, who organised the blessing.

"Rievaulx was built by Cistercian monks, an offshoot of the Benedictine order, but in its heyday would have offered similar hospitality, so it is great to be able to do the same now for our modern visitors."

The menu of the cafe, which overlooks the ruins, offers visitors a real taste of Yorkshire, with most of the dishes using locally-sourced ingredients.

They include bread from Malton Bakery, sausages from Masham, Harome chicken, Wensleydale cheese, and tea and coffee blended by Taylor's of Harrogate.

"Rievaulx now offers a truly multi-sensory experience - tasting the food, smelling the fresh Yorkshire air, hearing the sounds of the countryside, touching the stones and seeing the soaring arches," said catering supervisor Rachael Baldwin.