An abbey is a type of monastery used by members of a religious order under the governance of an abbot or abbess. Abbeys provide a complex of buildings and land for religious activities, …

Nearly a thousand religious houses (abbeys, priories and friaries) were founded in England and Wales during the medieval period, accommodating monks, friars or nuns who had taken vows …

Oct 10, 2023 · Abbeys were a striking feature of medieval urban and rural landscapes. Their layout and architecture reflected their purpose as cut-off monastic retreats which, conversely, …

Abbeys of the Carthusian order were based on a different layout because the monks lived solitary lives in small cells with gardens arranged around a central cloister. Key conciderations when …

The term abbey is also used loosely to refer to priories, smaller monasteries under a prior. In England since the dissolution of the monasteries under Henry VIII, all that remains in many …

From ancient abbeys in Italy to majestic monasteries in Austria, browse this gallery for a better look at them all. The Abbey of St. Gall in Switzerland has been recognized as a UNESCO …

Monasterboice is a small abbey in County Louth. Built in 521 by Saint Buite, it was one of the greatest cultural and religious centers of the time. Very pleasant to visit, you’ll find a number of …

Here’s our list of 10 of the best medieval abbey ruins in Britain. 1. Whitby Abbey, North Yorkshire, England. Overlooking the North Sea on the East Cliff above Whitby in North Yorkshire, …

Discover what happened to the many thousands of monks and nuns whose lives were changed forever when, on the orders of Henry VIII, every abbey and priory in England was closed.

The small Abbey Saint Hilaire is one of those ancient buildings that you can stumble on in France. Full of history on the slope towards the area known as the Luberon Valley , it is near several of …