Things to do at Fountains Abbey

Two visitors walking through the grounds of Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal with the abbey ruins in the background — Enjoy a walk through the grounds of Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal this spring | © National Trust Images/Chris Lacey

The ruins of Fountains Abbey are truly something to behold. Walk down the path from the visitor centre or along from West Gate car park and come face to face with some of the oldest abbey ruins in the country. As well as the abbey itself, you can explore Porter's Lodge, Fountains Hall, Fountains Mill and learn about heritage crafts at Swanley Grange.

Exploring safely

The abbey ruin is nearly 900 years old and there are steps and stairs which have been worn unevenly over time. Please take time and care when exploring. We recommend wearing sturdy shoes when you visit. There are some gentle and steep slopes throughout the estate. Please also be aware of uneven ground, height drops and deep running water.

Porter’s Lodge

Before you start exploring the abbey itself, make sure to pop inside Porter's Lodge, tucked inside the original gatehouse, which sits on the edge of the west green overlooking the abbey.

Important visitors to the abbey would have passed through the gatehouse, while local poor people would have gathered outside the gates waiting for free food from the monks.

Today you can learn about the abbey’s rise from humble origins to religious powerhouse, and its eventual decline. You will also see a model showing the abbey as it would have looked before the Dissolution of the Monasteries in the 1530s.

Guided tours

Everyday at 12pm and 2pm.

Join our volunteer tour guides to unearth the monastic secrets of the largest abbey ruins in the country and learn more about the daily routines of the monks who lived here.

If you'd like to find out even more after your tour, you can meet your guide in the abbey cloister at 1pm and 3pm where they'll be able to answer any of your questions and discuss the history of the ruins in more detail.

Alternatively, you can pick up a handset from the Visitor Centre and West Gate admission points and head on a self-led tour through the grounds of the abbey.

Plan your tour

The vaulted ceiling of the Cellarium at Fountains Abbey — Shelter from the winter weather and explore the vaulted ceilings of the Cellarium | © Andrew Butler

The abbey ruins

The Chapel of the Nine Altars

Once you're up to speed on the turbulent history of these ruins, it's time to walk across the west green and step into the cavernous nave, which looks down to the 'crossing'. Here you'll find both the oldest and newest part of the abbey, with the Chapel of the Nine Altars at the end.

The cellarium

Soak up the view over to the cellarium, which you will spot the moment the abbey comes into view. It sprawls off to the side of the main abbey building – look out for the arched doorways and large windows. As you wander under the low roof you can easily imagine this chilly space as it once was: a food store.

It's now used for events such as Carols by Candlelight at Christmas, choir performances during Fountains by Floodlight and for services throughout the year. It's also been used as a filming site, including for the BBC short series Gunpowder about the Guy Fawkes plot.

Upcoming services in the cellarium:

Mass for the Feast of St Bernard. Wednesday 20 August, 12pm. This service is free to attend.

Boxing Day Pilgrimage. Friday 26 December, 12pm. This service is free to attend.

East side abbey remains

From the cellarium you can see the remains of the cloister, the refectory and the muniment room. And don't miss the huge fireplace in the warming room. As you wander through to the east side of the abbey, be sure to visit the ruins of the infirmary, built over the river itself.

There were even prison cells here. You can find them under the remains of the two-storey abbot’s house. The words ‘Vale libertas’ ['Farewell freedom'] were once inscribed on the stonework and there's still an iron ring in the floor, which was used to keep prisoners chained up.

What else can you discover at Fountains Abbey

From seasonal flower shows to different buildings, take a look at what else Fountains Abbey has to offer

Two young children exploring the wool exhibition inside Swanely Grange — Visit Swanley Grange and learn about how the monks generated an income for the abbey and enabled it to grow into one of the largest and wealthiest monasteries in the country. | © J shepherd

Swanley Grange

Granges were like monastic farms that provided food for the monks, and Swanley was one of three ‘home’ granges within walking distance of the abbey. The wool from the sheep that the monks kept generated an income for the abbey and enabled it to grow into one of the largest and wealthiest monasteries in the country. Keep an eye out for crafting events and try your hand at traditional crafts such as weaving and knitting. Meet the new woolly and feathered residents and explore the vegetable garden.

Fountains Hall

In 1597 Stephen Proctor bought the Fountains Abbey estate and began the construction of Fountains Hall soon after. He built this elegant mansion as his country home in the early 17th century. The hall has seen many uses over the years: a stately home, courthouse, an estate employees’ lodging and a farmer’s house. Explore the hall and see informative displays or stay in one of the holiday flats in the hall.

Fountains Mill

Fountains Mill is the oldest building on the estate and was in continuous use until 1927. It was built by the Cistercians in the 12th century to grind grain for the monastery. It survived the closure of the abbey and continued to mill grain until 1927. In its long history, the building has also been a monastic granary, a timber sawmill, a home for refugees and a mason’s workshop. Today, you'll find an interactive exhibition and items discovered when the mill was restored in 2001, including some very old graffiti.

Daffodils

Come March, the bobbing heads of snowdrops will be replaced by a sea of yellow daffodils, a welcome sign that warmer weather and longer days are on their way. The route from the visitor centre to the abbey and the lawn opposite Mill Café will flood with shades of yellow as different daffodils start to bloom.

Snowdrops

Winter is that wonderful time of year where the woodlands and river banks are filled with snowdrops merrily bobbing in the breeze. Did you know that the abbey ruins have been surrounded by a white carpets of snowdrops ever since the 19th century? Earl de Grey - who inherited the estate from William Aislabie's granddaughter, Mrs Lawrence, in 1845 - wrote his signature in snowdrops on the banks of the River Skell by the abbey. The snowdrops first appear around the second week on January and we expect they'll be looking their best in early February.

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