Fountains Abbey & Studley Royal
Cistercian monastery dating from 1132 and water gardens. A UNESCO World Heritage Site near Ripon, North Yorkshire.
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The Abbey was one of the richest religious houses in England with 400 Cistercian monks, and 800 lay brothers. The power of the Fountains estate was felt far and wide with the Abbey's economic activities including farming, lead mining, quarrying and horse breeding. In 1986 the parkland in which the abbey is situated and the abbey was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. It was recognised for fulfilling the criteria of being a masterpiece of human creative genius, and an outstanding example of a type of building or architectural or technological ensemble or landscape which illustrates significant stages in human history. Fountains Abbey is owned by the National Trust and maintained by English Heritage.
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The Abbey was one of the richest religious houses in England with 400 Cistercian monks, and 800 lay brothers. The power of the Fountains estate was felt far and wide with the Abbey's economic activities including farming, lead mining, quarrying and horse breeding. In 1986 the parkland in which the abbey is situated and the abbey was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. It was recognised for fulfilling the criteria of being a masterpiece of human creative genius, and an outstanding example of a type of building or architectural or technological ensemble or landscape which illustrates significant stages in human history. Fountains Abbey is owned by the National Trust and maintained by English Heritage.
