Lindisfarne

Abbeys and Monasteries in England

Most of these medieval marvels are in ruins. For some that aren't, check out Cathedrals.
Or see Abbeys in Scotland | Wales

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P R S T U V W X Y Z

Sawley Abbey    The atmospheric remains of a 12th century Cistercian monastery standing beside the River Ribble. The abbey was founded in 1147 by William de Percy, and is built to the traditional Cistercian plan, with the abbey church forming the north range of the cloisters, lay brother's quarters on the west range, an east range featuring the chapter house and monk's quarters, and further domestic buildings on the south range. Sawley, Lancashire, England Attraction Type: Abbey Location: In Sawley, off the A59. Open all year except New Years and Christmas holidays. Check English Heritage website for details. Website: Sawley Abbey English Heritage OS SD776464 Heritage Rating:   ? Nearest attractions and accommodation     Nearest: hotels - cottages - Bed and Breakfasts

Shaftesbury Abbey Museum and Garden    Only the excavated foundations remain of Shaftesbury's 9th century Benedictine Abbey, but the story of the abbey is brought to life in this excellent museum. Park Walk, Shaftesbury, Dorset, England, SP7 8JR Attraction Type: Abbey Location: in the town centre Website: Shaftesbury Abbey Museum and Garden Email: user@shaftesburyabbey.co.uk Phone: 01747 852 910 Fax: 01747 852 910 Location map OS ST863 229 Heritage Rating:   ? Nearest attractions and accommodation     Nearest: hotels - cottages - Bed and Breakfasts

Shap Abbey   A rare Premonstratensian house, founded around 1200 in a bleak setting. The most notable remain is that of the huge west tower. Shap, Cumbria, England Attraction Type: Abbey Location: 1½ miles W of Shap on the bank of the River Lowther Website: Shap Abbey English Heritage Details of Shap Abbey - Photos of Shap Abbey OS NY 548152 Heritage Highlight: The west tower is the best remaining feature Heritage Rating:   ? Nearest attractions and accommodation     Nearest: hotels - cottages - Bed and Breakfasts

St Augustine's Abbey   In this case the abbey isn't just dedicated to St. Augustine, it was actually founded by him, in 598, to house the monks he brought with him to convert the Britons to Christianity. Longport, Canterbury, Kent, England, CT1 1TF Attraction Type: Abbey Location: A quarter mile east of Cathedral Close in Longport. Well signposted for walking from the city centre. Paid parking opposite. Website: St Augustine's Abbey Phone: 01227 378 100 English Heritage Location map - Photos of St Augustine's Abbey OS TR168 581 Heritage Rating:   ? Nearest attractions and accommodation     Nearest: hotels - cottages - Bed and Breakfasts

St Botolph's Priory    The remains of the first Augustinian monastery in Britain, located in the heart of modern Colchester. The priory was founded around the year 1100, and represents an excellent example of early Norman architecture. Colchester, Essex, England Attraction Type: Abbey Location: Off Queen Street, just north of the A134. Open access site. Website: St Botolph's Priory English Heritage OS TL998250 Heritage Rating:   ? Nearest attractions and accommodation     Nearest: hotels - cottages - Bed and Breakfasts

St Olave's Priory   The remains of a 14th century Augustinian priory on a level site beside the River Waveney. St Olave's Priory was established by Augustinian friars around 1216, under the patronage of Roger Fitz Osbert. The best preserved part of this small priory is the refectory undercroft, a beautifully vaulted brick building that was converted for a time into a cottage. A143, St Olaves, Norfolk, England Attraction Type: Abbey Location: On the A143 5.5 miles south west of Great Yarmouth. Open access site. Website: St Olave's Priory English Heritage - Photos of St Olave's Priory OS TM459994 Heritage Rating:   ? Nearest attractions and accommodation     Nearest: hotels - cottages - Bed and Breakfasts

Stoke-sub-Hamdon Priory    The Great Hall of this 14th/15th century complex of farm buildings is open to visitors. North Street, Stoke-sub-Hamdon, Somerset, England, TA14 6QP Attraction Type: Abbey Location: 2 miles W of Montacute between the A303 and the A3088 Website: Stoke-sub-Hamdon Priory Email: stokehamdonpriory@nationaltrust.org.uk Phone: 01935 823 289 National Trust Location map OS ST472 174 Heritage Rating:   ? Nearest attractions and accommodation     Nearest: hotels - cottages - Bed and Breakfasts

Thetford Church of the Holy Sepulchre    The ruins of the 14th century priory church of the Canons of the Holy Sepulchre (sometimes known as St Sepulchres Priory). The church is the only surviving remain in England of this Augustinan order. The priory was established around 1139 on the south bank of the Little Ouse river. Canons Close, Thetford, Norfolk, England Attraction Type: Abbey Location: Off Canons Close, north of the A134 (Brandon Road). This is an open access site. Website: Thetford Church of the Holy Sepulchre English Heritage OS TL863832 Heritage Rating:   ? Nearest attractions and accommodation     Nearest: hotels - cottages - Bed and Breakfasts

Thetford Priory    The remains of a 12th century Cluniac monastery, one of the most important in East Anglia. Thetford Priory was dedicated to St Mary, and became enormously popular with pilgrims in the Middle Ages when it was said the the Virgin Mary miraculously appeared here. A statue of the Virgin Mary was thought to contain relics of several saints, and as a result, pilgrims flocked to Thetford in great numbers to visit her shrine. Thetford, Norfolk, England Attraction Type: Abbey Location: Near Thetford Station, to the west side of the town Website: Thetford Priory English Heritage OS TL865832 Heritage Highlight: 14th century gatehouse Heritage Rating:   ? Nearest attractions and accommodation     Nearest: hotels - cottages - Bed and Breakfasts

Thornton Abbey    Augustinian Abbey founded in 1139, but the chief interest here is the massive 14th century gatehouse, possibly built in response to the Peasant's Revolt of 1381. The gatehouse is remarkable for its early use of brick as a building material. Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire, England, DN39 6TU Attraction Type: Abbey Location: 10 m E Scunthorpe, off A160 Website: Thornton Abbey Phone: 01469 541 445 English Heritage Location map OS TA117 192 Heritage Highlight: 14th century brick gatehouse Heritage Rating:   ? Nearest attractions and accommodation     Nearest: hotels - cottages - Bed and Breakfasts

Titchfield Abbey    Titchfield Abbey is a fortified manor built upon the ruins of a medieval monastery. The monastery was built in 1237 by the Premonstratensian order. The extensive ruins of the 13th century abbey are dwarfed by an imposing Tudor gatehouse built from the nave of the abbey church. Titchfield, Hampshire, England Attraction Type: Abbey Location: ½ mile N Titchfield, off A27 Website: Titchfield Abbey Phone: 01329 842 133 English Heritage OS SU541 067 Heritage Rating:   ? Nearest attractions and accommodation     Nearest: hotels - cottages - Bed and Breakfasts

Tynemouth Castle and Priory    Tynemouth Priory and Castle is a complex of historic buildings that has been in use since at least the Iron Age period. The appeal of the site is its position on an isolated headland situated between the River Tyne and the sea. There was a native settlement here during the Roman period, and in the 7th century a monastery was esablished on the site, and Oswin, Northumbrian king and saint, is supposed to have been buried here. That first monastery was destroyed in a Danish raid, and a new monastery based on the Benedictine rule was established in about 1090. Pier Road, Tynemouth, Tyne and Wear, England, NE30 4BZ Attraction Type: Castle Website: Tynemouth Castle and Priory English Heritage Location map OS NZ372693 Heritage Rating:   ? Nearest attractions and accommodation     Nearest: hotels - cottages - Bed and Breakfasts

Walsingham Priory   The ruins of the medieval priory of Walsingham dominate this lovely little Norfolk village, and the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham continues to draw visitors as it has done for almost a thousand years. Little Walsingham, Norfolk, England, NR22 6BP Attraction Type: Abbey Location: Access directly off the market place, in the centre of Little Walsingham. Thee is a large pay parking lot within a very short walk. Website: Walsingham Priory Historic Houses Association Location map OS TF933367 Nearest attractions and accommodation     Nearest: hotels - cottages - Bed and Breakfasts

Waverley Abbey    Waverley Abbey was the very first Cistercian Abbey established in England, under the patronage of William Giffard, Bishop of Winchester. The monastery was founded in 1128, and partial remains of the abbey church and a range of monastic buildings still stand in an attractive setting beside the River Wey. Farnham, Surrey, England Attraction Type: Abbey Location: On the B3001 3 miles south of Farnham. Open at any reasonable daylight hour, year round. Website: Waverley Abbey English Heritage OS SU866453 Nearest attractions and accommodation     Nearest: hotels - cottages - Bed and Breakfasts

Wenlock Priory    One of the most historic monastic sites in England, Wenlock Priory was founded in the year 680 AD by the King of Mercia, Merewalh, for his daughter Milburga, who served as abbess until her death in 722. Milburga was acclaimed a saint after her death. Milburga's abbey was destroyed around 874 by the Danes, but was eventually refounded as a Minster by Leofric of Mercia around 1050. Sometime after the Norman Conquest the Minster was once again refounded, this time as a Cluniac priory. Much Wenlock, Shropshire, England, TF13 6HS Attraction Type: Abbey Location: In the north east of Much Wenlock, at the east end of High Street off Bull Ring. Website: Wenlock Priory Phone: 01952 727466 English Heritage Location map OS SJ624001 Heritage Highlight: Superbly decorated 12th century chapter house Heritage Rating:   ? Nearest attractions and accommodation     Nearest: hotels - cottages - Bed and Breakfasts

Wetheral Priory    All that remains of a 12th century Benedictine Priory is a lovely red sandstone 3 story gatehouse dating from the 16th century. The gatehouse survived the Dissolution of the Monasteries because it was used as the parish vicarage. In the medieval period accused criminals could avoid punishment if they joined to fight the Scots here. Wetheral, Cumbria, England Attraction Type: Abbey Location: On the B6263 at Wetheral, 3 miles south east of Carlisle. The Priory is on the southern boundary of Wetheral. Free entry, and easily viewed from the roadside. Website: Wetheral Priory English Heritage OS NY468542 Heritage Rating:   ? Nearest attractions and accommodation     Nearest: hotels - cottages - Bed and Breakfasts

Whalley Abbey Gatehouse    The two-storey gatehouse is all that remains of 13th century Whalley Abbey. The abbey was founded by the Cistercian order in 1296, and grew to become the second most powerful abbey in Lancashire. The north west gateway and associated walls still stand in a lovely setting beside the River Calder. Whalley, Lancashire, England Attraction Type: Abbey Location: In Whalley village, just off the A59 and A671. Open access site. Website: Whalley Abbey Gatehouse English Heritage OS SD731360 Heritage Rating:   ? Nearest attractions and accommodation     Nearest: hotels - cottages - Bed and Breakfasts

Whitby Abbey    Early English abbey ruins, the site of Count Dracula's (fictional) landing in England. More importantly, Whitby was the site of the 7th century synod of early bishops which established the supremacy of Roman Catholicism over the Celtic church in Britain. Whitby, Yorkshire, England, YO22 4JT Attraction Type: Abbey Location: on clifftop E of Whitby Website: Whitby Abbey Phone: 01947 603568 English Heritage Location map OS NZ901111 Heritage Highlight: Site of the 7th century synod which effectively ended Celtic Christianity in the north of England Heritage Rating:   ? Nearest attractions and accommodation     Nearest: hotels - cottages - Bed and Breakfasts

White Ladies Priory    The Priory of St Leonard at Brewood is popularly known as White Ladies Priory, a reference to the white habits of the Augustinian canonesses who lived here from the late 12th century. White Ladies was never a particularly prosperous house, but it survived from the 12th century until it was dissolved by Henry VIII in 1538. Boscobel, Shropshire, England Attraction Type: Abbey Location: On a minor road just south of Bishops Wood. Junction 3 of the M54. Website: White Ladies Priory English Heritage OS SJ826075 Heritage Rating:   ? Nearest attractions and accommodation     Nearest: hotels - cottages - Bed and Breakfasts

Wymondham Abbey    Wymondham Abbey was founded in 1107 by William D'Albini, Butler to King Henry I, as a priory of Benedictine monks under the rule of St Albans Abbey. It was later refounded as an abbey in its own right, and lasted until it was dissolved by Henry VIII in 1538. But the story does not end there, for the great abbey church was saved from destruction by becoming the parish church for the village of Wymondham. The result is a superb church, one of the finest in Norfolk. Church Street, Wymondham, Norfolk, England, NR18 0PH Attraction Type: Abbey Website: Wymondham Abbey Phone: 01953 607062 Location map OS TG107013 Heritage Rating:   ? Nearest attractions and accommodation     Nearest: hotels - cottages - Bed and Breakfasts

More Abbeys
Browse alphabetically or by page
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P R S T U V W X Y Z

Page 1 | 2 | 3 | 4