J is for … Jervaulx Abbey

Despite a grey start, the weather was very kind to us for our visit to Jervaulx Abbey in North Yorkshire. Not far from Ripon, this privately owned Cistercian abbey is located on the A6108 between Masham and Leyburn. Since the dissolution of the monasteries in the mid- to late 1500s, the property has been in private…

F is for … Fountains Abbey

At the end of May (how are we already 2 weeks into July?), we headed north towards Ripon. For a bank holiday weekend in the UK, the weather was glorious. We arrived early afternoon, which gave us chance to explore some of the abbey ruins as well as the Studley Royal Water Gardens, and still…

B is for … Bolton Abbey

Bolton Abbey is actually the name of the village. Bolton Priory is the name of the ecclesiastical building within the grounds. We didn’t know that. The priory was founded by Augustine monks, from nearby Embsay, in the mid-twelfth century. Twenty-six canons and around 200 lay-people lived at the priory, making their living from sheep farming,…