English Abbeys and Monasteries

Below is an index of the abbeys and monasteries of England profiled on Sacred Destinations so far. More still remain to be added!

Image	Name and Summary	Order	Date(s)	Status
	Bath Abbey Bath, Somerset Beautiful fan vaulting and Cotswald stone	Benedictine	675, 1499	parish church
	Buildwas Abbey Shropshire Substantial ruins of a Cistercian abbey	Savignac then Cistercian	1135	ruins
	Byland Abbey Yorkshire Ruin of one of three great Yorkshire abbeys, with a huge abbey church	Savignac then Cistercian	1177	ruins
	Cerne Abbey Cerne Abbas, Dorset Most of the ancient abbey has disappeared, but the interesting Abbot's Hall and guest house still stand.	Benedictine	937	private house
	Dorchester Abbey Oxfordshire Includes a large wall painting, wonderful tracery and Norman carved capitals.	Augustinian	635, 1140	parish church
	Evesham Abbey Worcestershire Founded by Saint Ecgwin at Evesham following a vision of the Virgin Mary	Benedictine	701	ruins
	Fountains Abbey Yorkshire World Heritage Site in a beautiful setting	Cistercian	1132	ruins
	Gloucester Cathedral Gloucester Cloisters include the earliest English fan vaulting	Benedictine	681, 1058	cathedral
	Hailes Abbey Gloucestershire Once a major pilgrimage site due to a vial of Christ's blood; ruins unsubstantial but peaceful and picturesque.	Cistercian	1246	ruins
	Malmesbury Abbey Wiltshire Remains of the huge nave now function as a parish church. South door with wonderful Norman carvings.	Benedictine	676, 1180	parish church
	Pershore Abbey Worcestershire The monk's choir is all that remains for use as a parish church	Benedictine	689, 1090	parish church
	Peterborough Cathedral Cambridgeshire Abbey church turned cathedral with a wide west front and unusual Italian elements			cathedral
	Rievaulx Abbey Yorkshire Romantic ruins of a once-important abbey in a picturesque valley	Cistercian	1131	ruins
	Shap Abbey Cumbria A rare Premonstratensian abbey and the last to be dissolved	Premonstratensian	1199	ruins
	Sherborne Abbey Sherborne, Dorset Especially notable for its Perpendicular Gothic architecture and medieval roof bosses.	Benedictine	705, 15th cent.	parish church
	St. Albans Cathedral Abbey church and pilgrimage stop, now a cathedral with the longest nave in England.	Benedictine	793, 1089	cathedral
	St. Augustine's Abbey Canterbury Founded by the great St. Augustine of Canterbury		598	ruins
	St. Mary's Abbey York Once the wealthiest abbey in North England and reputedly the home of Friar Tuck	Benedictine	1088	ruins
	Tewkesbury Abbey Gloucestershire A breathtaking combination of large-scale Norman architecture with Decorated Gothic vaulting.	Benedictine	1092	parish church
	Westminster Abbey London An abbey church turned parish church and royal pantheon and often mistaken for a cathedral.			national church
	Whitby Abbey Yorkshire Founded by St. Hilda; site of an early church council. Now beautiful ruins and World Heritage Site overlooking the sea.	Saxon	657, 1220	ruins