English Abbeys and Monasteries
Below is an illustrated index of the 17 English Abbeys and Monasteries profiled on Sacred Destinations so far. For photo credits, please see corresponding articles.
Byland Abbey is one of the three great Cistercian monasteries of North Yorkshire, with Fountains and Rievaulx. Although the community had a rocky start, its abbey church was once the largest in England.
The village of Cerne Abbas owes its existence to this Benedictine abbey founded in 987 AD. Interesting parts like the Abbot's Hall and guest house still stand.
Founded by Cistercian monks in 1132, this is the largest monastic ruin in Britain. It offers many interesting things to see in a beautiful natural setting.
Shrouded in mystery and legend, Glastonbury Abbey is a highly atmospheric ruin on one of the oldest Christian sites in Britain. Its buildings are fine examples of Norman architecture.
This conical hill, topped by a 14th-century church tower, may have been a place of ancient ritual and it was a place of penance and pilgrimage for Catholics in medieval times.
This ruined Cistercian monastery in Gloucestershire was once a major medieval pilgrimage destination. Founded by the brother of King Henry III in 1246, it was dissolved by King Henry VIII in 1539.
On this tidal island off the northeast coast of England, a monastery was founded in the 7th century by St. Aidan of Iona. Today it is a center for Celtic Christianity, a place for spiritual retreats, and a popular tourist destination.
The surviving third of this once-great Benedictine abbey now functions as a parish church. The south door has wonderful Norman carvings.
Pershore Abbey was founded in the 7th century and came under the Benedictine rule around the 10th century. Only about half of the abbey church survives and it is now used as a parish church.
Founded by St. Bernard of Clairvaux in 1132, Rievaulx Abbey now lies in picturesque ruins in a North Yorkshire valley.
Not easily accessible by road even today, the isolated and peaceful environment of Shap Abbey was perfect for the solitude sought by Premonstratensian monks in the late 12th century.
The ruins of St. Augustine's Abbey on the outskirts of Canterbury include the grave of the saint and a substantial crypt. The visitor center displays Early Christian artifacts found at the site.
This picturesque ruined medieval abbey in the gardens of the Yorkshire Museum is the legendary home of Friar Tuck.
This ancient abbey in Cornwall is England's parallel to Mont-St-Michel across the channel in France. Both were founded after visions of the Archangel Michael and only accessible during low tide.
An 11th-century Benedictine monastery used as a merchant's house after the Dissolution. Only the refectory and west range survive, which are currently being renovated for reopening as a Tudor museum.
Built in the early 1100s, this abbey church boasts the largest Norman tower in Europe. Its interior is a breathtaking combination of stout Norman pillars with Decorated Gothic vaulting and gilded bosses.
Founded by a Saxon princess, this abbey hosted an important council and was powerful throughout the Middle Ages. It now an evocative ruin on a hilltop overlooking the North Sea.
