Founded as a Benedictine abbey, Selby Abbey grew during the 12th and 13th centuries but the Reformation stripped it of its assets and it became the unofficial parish church. Insufficient funds meant the massive structure soon started to decay. By 1690 the central tower was collapsing but significant restoration work was not carried out until the 1870s. This was undone by a fire in 1906 and it was not until 1935 that the Abbey was finally back to its Early English appearance.