Fountains Abbey is the largest and most spectacular monastic ruin in England, in a green valley of North Yorkshire near Ripon. Beside the Cistercian abbey lies the Studley Royal Water Garden, one of the finest Georgian water gardens in Europe, with ponds, canals, statues and small classical temples. Together they form a unique landscape, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1986, cared for by the National Trust.
History
In 1132 thirteen monks, unhappy with the overly comfortable life of St Mary's Abbey in York, withdrew to this wild valley to live in poverty under the Cistercian rule. They survived a harsh first winter and the community grew quickly: over the following centuries Fountains became one of the richest abbeys in England, thanks to the wool trade. In 1539, with the Dissolution of the Monasteries ordered by Henry VIII, the abbey was closed and sold, and some of its stone went into building nearby Fountains Hall.
In the 18th century the neighbouring Studley Royal estate belonged to John Aislabie, Chancellor of the Exchequer, who was caught up in the South Sea Bubble financial scandal and expelled from Parliament. Retiring to the country, from 1718 he devoted himself to creating a great water garden. His son William completed the project by buying the abbey ruins in 1767, and they became the climax of the landscape.
- 1132Thirteen monks found the abbey in the valley
- 1539The abbey is closed by Henry VIII
- c. 1611Fountains Hall is completed
- 1718John Aislabie begins the Studley Royal water garden
- 1767William Aislabie buys the abbey ruins
- 1986The site becomes a UNESCO World Heritage Site
What to see
The abbey
The ruins are impressive: the great abbey church with its 16th-century tower still standing, more than 50 metres high, the cloister, the chapter house and above all the cellarium, a very long vaulted gallery supported by a row of columns, where provisions were stored. You walk among honey-coloured stone walls, arches and windows open to the sky, with the River Skell flowing alongside.
Studley Royal Water Garden
Following the river you reach the water garden, a geometric landscape of moon- and crescent-shaped pools, canals, small cascades and lawns, dotted with statues and classical buildings: the Temple of Piety, the Octagon Tower and the Banqueting House. From the top of the hill, the viewpoint known as Anne Boleyn's Seat offers a surprise view of the abbey ruins at the end of the valley.
The deer park and St Mary's Church
Beyond the garden stretches a large park where hundreds of deer graze. Inside it stands St Mary's Church, a Gothic Revival masterpiece by the architect William Burges, with richly coloured and gilded interiors, open in summer.
Practical information
The site is open all year round, except for a few days, and booking online is advisable. It is large: between the abbey, the garden and the park you walk several kilometres, but a minibus links the two entrances. Opening times and prices are on the National Trust website.
Getting there
- By train: to Harrogate, then a bus to Ripon and a short taxi or bus ride; the estate is about 6 kilometres from Ripon.
- By car: from the A1(M), about 15 minutes from Ripon; parking at the visitor centre.
- By air: Leeds Bradford Airport is about 45 minutes away.
Nearby
- Ripon, with its cathedral and the tradition of the hornblower who announces the night watch every evening at 9pm.
- Harrogate, an elegant spa town, and the valley of Nidderdale.
- York, about an hour away. See also the UNESCO sites of the United Kingdom.
Tips
- How long: at least half a day, ideally a full day.
- When to go: all year round; in autumn the colours of the valley are extraordinary.
- A tip: enter from the visitor centre, see the abbey first and then continue along the river towards the water garden: it is the route that reveals the landscape in the most surprising way.