The tall tower
Above the ruins.
Photograph by Mike Peel (www.mikepeel.net). — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Daderot — Public domain · Daderot — Public domain · Photograph by Mike Peel (www.mikepeel.net). — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Photograph by Mike Peel (www.mikepeel.net). — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Svetlana Lakutina — CC BY-SA 4.0
Fountains Abbey is the ruin of a Cistercian monastery near Ripon in North Yorkshire, England, about 37 km in a straight line north-west of York. Historic England describes it as the best preserved of English abbeys and the finest picturesque ruin. It was founded in 1132 and over four centuries became one of the wealthiest monasteries in England, thanks to its large estates and the wool trade. It was closed in 1539 during Henry VIII's dissolution of the monasteries and its estates were sold, leaving its massive stone walls and tall tower standing without roofs. The abbey now lies within Studley Royal, an 18th-century landscaped water garden of canals, calm ponds, small temples, statues and tree-lined walks, along with a deer park. Visitors walk from the ruins along the River Skell to the ponds and gardens, and the ruins can be seen from afar across the water and meadows. The site was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986. An entry fee is charged, and a visit needs two hours or more to explore the ruins and gardens.
Above the ruins.
Canals and ponds.
Beside the garden.
Near Ripon, North Yorkshire, United Kingdom
Two hours or more.
About 37 km in a straight line.