Image ID: 00547

Fountains Abbey

Date: c1920

Fountains Abbey is one of the largest and best preserved ruined Cistercian monasteries in England. It was established in 1132 by Benedictine monks from St Mary's Abbey, York. The abbey operated for 407 years, until 1539, when Henry VIII ordered the Dissolution of the Monasteries. Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal Park became a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986. This image is taken from the north, looking down onto the main abbey church from the south; the Chapel of Nine Altars is to the right. In the foreground are low ruined walls. The tower was constructed by Abbot Huby in the very early 16th century, not long before the Dissolution of the Monasteries.

Courtesy of Robert Cox

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KeywordsChurches