Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal Water Garden Ripon

Most sites were fully booked with the Easter Holidays so we just headed South and pulled up here. Weather was very settled and warm for the time of year …

Fountains Abbey is one of the largest and best preserved ruined Cistercian monasteries in England. It was founded in 1132 and operated for over 400 years, until 1539, when Henry VIII ordered the dissolution of the monasteries.

At around 9AM we hopped on a bus that drove us to Fountains Abbey. Fountains Abbey is about an hour south-east of …

I wasn't planning to go to Fountains Abbey as I thought it would be a little bit out of the way, but since I've learnt of the northern conspiracy on travel times I thought it was worth the journey and it turned out to be only 15 minutes from Harrogate.

As I was driving up and down the dales on the way to the abbey I did feel slightly like …

Today we went to see Fountains Abbey - someplace I have wanted to visit for years. It is one of Paul's favorite places in England, and I can see why.

In the early 1100's, eleven Benedictine monks from York (sounds like the beginning of a racy limerick, doesn't it?) decided to break off from the order and join the more stict Cistercian …