Egglestone Abbey, Premonstratensian abbey near Barnard Castle, England
Egglestone Abbey stands as a stone ruin on the south bank of the River Tees, surrounded by green fields and ancient trees. You can still see the foundations of buildings and make out where the church, living quarters, and farm buildings once stood.
The abbey was founded between 1168 and 1198 by the Multon family and served as a religious center for over 350 years. In 1540, King Henry VIII seized the monastery and ordered its closure, as he did with many English abbeys during the Reformation.
The Premonstratensian canons in their white robes lived here as a religious community and provided food and shelter to people in the surrounding region. Walking through the ruins, you can sense how central this place was to local life for centuries.
Access to the ruins is free and available daily, maintained by English Heritage. Wear suitable footwear since the ground is uneven, and be prepared for wet and windy weather typical to this riverside location.
The ruins contain remains of a medieval water system made of lead and stone pipes, showing the technical skill of builders in that era. This plumbing demonstrates that monastery architects possessed advanced knowledge of hydraulics and engineering during the 1100s and 1200s.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
