Fountains Abbey
Fountains Abbey with Studley Royal Water Garden is
of international historic importance. The site attracts
approximately 300,000 visitors a year and is the National Trust's
most visited pay-for-entry property. The site was acquired by the
Trust in 1983 and was declared a World Heritage site in 1987.
The estate covers 822 acres and is open daily all year
round.
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The site has the remains of a Cistercian Abbey, over 10
historic buildings, including a superb Victorian church, a medieval
deer park home to 500 Red, Fallow and Sika deer, several elegant
ornamental lakes and intricately designed landscapes. Fountains
Abbey was founded in 1132 by Cistercian Monks after a dispute which
culminated in a riot at St Mary's Abbey in York.
The life of the Abbey and the monks were changed forever in
1539, when King Henry VIII ordered the Dissolution of the
Monasteries. After the Dissolution, it was hoped that the
Abbey would be the site for a new Dales cathedral. However,
this did not come to pass, and so by 1540, glass and lead from the
dismantling of the Abbey ended up in Ripon and York.
Studley Royal Water Garden is another important feature to the
site. The water garden was created by John Aislabie, and is
arguably England's most important 18th century Water
Garden. The Water Garden has a formal, geometric design and
beautiful vistas. The design was inspired by the work of the
great French landscape gardeners but is entirely individual in
character.
Fountains Hall was built by Stephen Proctor between 1598 and
1604. Some of the stone he used to build the Hall was from the
ruins of the Abbey.
The estate has activities all year round, including walks, guided tours, and special evening events, which include concerts with fireworks, theatre and opera. In the autumn the Abbey is floodlit at weekends, with the sounds of choirs singing and recorded Gregorian chants. There is a full education programme of projects and workshops, as well as an Education Resource Centre.
For more information telephone: 01765 608888