Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal

Fountains Abbey is now part of the Studley Royal Estate; the Aislabie family created the water gardens here. The estate is now owned by the National Trust and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

We follow the National Trust map guide and visit Fountains Hall, late Elizabethan, and Fountains Mill, originally built in the 12th century for the monastery.

We now visit the ruins of Fountains Abbey itself; this is the largest and best preserved Cistercian monastery in England and was founded in 1132 when a group of monks were expelled from St Mary's Abbey in York. They were brought to this site in the River Skell valley, and the natural features enabled the creation of a monastery ; it was named after the six springs that watered the site.

We then walk across to the Studley Royal Water Garden, where there are several follies and statues. Fom here, we walk to the deer park - seeing no deer - and exit the park next to St Mary's Church.

Another great day out.Read more