Rievaulx Abbey
A Cistercian abbey ruin hidden in a valley, with soaring Gothic windows framed by trees and a terrace above offering panoramic views.
Rievaulx Abbey was founded in 1132 as the first Cistercian abbey in northern England. At its height it housed around 650 monks and lay brothers, and it was demolished after the Reformation. The surviving choir's layered arched windows are considered among the most beautiful abbey ruins in England, and a small museum is on site. The Rievaulx Terrace on the hillside (National Trust, seasonal opening) overlooks the ruins. Admission is about £14. The abbey lies about 40 km from York and is often visited together with the village of Helmsley and its castle.
Opening hours
Approx. 10:00–17:00 (open weekends only in winter)
Nearby sights
- Castle Howard
- York Art Gallery
- Treasurer's House
- Museum Gardens & St Mary's Abbey
- York Minster
- National Railway Museum
- Stonegate
- Barley Hall