Fountains Abbey

The remains of the Cistercian abbey of St Mary of Fountains, Fountains Abbey has long been regarded as one of the most outstanding examples of its kind in Western Europe. Sitting in a small, almost hidden, section of the valley of the River Skell it is an attractive ruin set in the idealized grounds of what became the combined estates of Studley Royal and Fountains Hall. The ruin is surprisingly easy to explore and is mostly wheelchair and stroller accessible, though the exploration may require a large amount of walking.

This is a wonderful place to explore and get a sense of the history lingering in the valleys and dales of North Yorkshire. You can imagine from the remaining grandeur of the stonework, just how imposing the abbey must have been in its heyday. Some sections, such as the Chapel of the Nine Alters and its Tower, as well as the West Range, clearly demonstrate the abbey’s past wealth and power. The single most impressive illustration of building skills, though, has to be the Chapter House, with its amazing load-bearing arches.

It is highly recommended that you either take a tour or at least buy an information map in order to fully appreciate the history you are wandering through.

The abbey sits within the grounds of the Fountains estate, which also includes well manicured walks through the valley past many follies and monuments. It is also possible to visit Fountains Hall and Studley Royal Deer Park. Fountains Hall was built using a substantial amount of stone from the abbey in the early sixteen hundreds. The Studley Royal Dear Park area of the combined estate includes a lake and the picturesque seven bridges walk, as well as the extensive deer park which visitors may also explore.

Fountains Abbey is a World Heritage site now, and is owned and managed by the National Trust in partnership with English Heritage. There is a visitors’ centre with all the amenities including a learning centre. There are also several cafe’s and a gift store.

Fountains was founded in 1132 by thirteen Benedictine monks from St Mary’s in York, whose ideas of reform in spiritual life had not won acceptance, as they wished to reinstate the more humble lifestyle of the sixth-century Rule of St Benedictine. This required a return to a life of greater poverty, and more rounds of prayer, meditation, and manual work, than their fellow monks in York were willing to accept. It is strangely ironic that it was destined to become one of the most affluent, prestigious, and influential abbeys in England. The abby had achieved so much wealth and power that by the fifteenth century its abbots sat in the British Parliament, until Henry VIII broke with the Roman Catholic Church and seized the riches of Fountains Abbey in 1539 as part of the Dissolution of the Monasteries.

Though sheltered and well wooded, with a supply of stone in the cliffs above, this then wild and desolate area proved to be a daunting place for survival, but help from a Cistercian house in France allowed them to survive and prosper. This also explains how they became a Cistercian order, rather than remaining Benedictine.

Admission:
Adult - £8.25
Children - £4.40
National Trust & English Heritage members & under 5's - free

Links: http://www.fountainsabbey.org.uk

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