Abbey House, Barrow-in-Furness

Advantages: History and religion well presented
Disadvantages: None that I found

...near the front entrance (West door) to the abbey. In the church and cloisters there are around 3300 officially buried but records were not kept until 1607 so not all buried here are documented and the actual number is known to be higher. But, don't think this is a cemetery. It is not. The minute you walk in the public, paying entrance on the side you can not help but be impressed with the architecture, the history and the age of this religious edifice. It quite takes your breath away. Truly it does. I've visited twice but I have to say the second time I took so much more in. I was accompanied by my son, sister and brother-in-law from New Zealand. They were most impressed with their first vision, upon viewing the stunning towers and strikingly interesting exterior. Just seeing their initial reaction to the interior, especially... Read review

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Advantages: Architecturally significant and culturally important site, beautiful location
Disadvantages: Fountains Abbey offers visitors a unique glimpse into the world of medieval monasticism. Its striking architecture and the beauty of its natural surroundings combine to ensure a memorable experience.

...into the Skell valley, even that disappears. The path leads down through a parkland area, past Fountains Hall, through a somewhat wilder wooded area, and finally to the valley floor. Then, with a turn to the east, there is it--an explosion of warm-toned, honey-colored sandstone, an expanse of Norman and Gothic arches, pillars and colonnades, and the ragged remnants of walls. ►►Historical Overview◄◄ Construction on the Abbey of St. Mary of Fountains began late in 1132, when 13 dissident monks left the Benedictine house of St. Mary's in York to establish a new, reform-minded community. Just under 3 years later, the new abbey was admitted to the Cistercian Order. The monks at Fountains practiced a simple and often austere lifestyle characterized by a near-subsistence diet and prolonged periods of silence. By the mid-13... Read review

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Advantages: Fantastic Location, Free To Visit
Disadvantages: Mainly Ruins

...who became the Archbishop of Canterbury. In 1170 he was assassinated at Leeds Castle near Dover and though arch rivals, it is said that Robert FitzRanulf bore a great amount of guilt over Beckitt's brutal death. Today, only the tower of the Abbey remains intact and the rest of the building is just ruins, but even from what remains it is evident that this was only quite a small Abbey. It would have consisted of around twelve to fifteen canons, plus lay brothers. As well as the main building, which was the Abbey itself, there were also several other monastic buildings. These included a church, a chapel house, a dormitory and a refectory. The remnants of all of these can still be seen. Today there is a church attached to the original tower of the Abbey which was once part of an existing 17th century chapel. The church is still in use... Read review

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