Beaulieu Abbey, Medieval abbey ruins in Hampshire, England
Beaulieu Abbey is a medieval monastery ruin in Hampshire with surviving stone walls scattered across the grounds. The site mainly shows foundations and walls, with one restored building housing exhibits about monastic life.
King John founded the monastery in 1204 as a Cistercian community that flourished for roughly 330 years. Henry VIII destroyed it in 1538 when he shut down all monasteries and seized their lands.
The monks shaped village life through their daily work and spiritual practices, leaving traces still visible in how the local community uses the space today. Their influence appears in the way buildings and land are organized around the settlement.
The site sits on easily accessible flat ground and is open to visitors on most days. Wear suitable shoes since you will walk over uneven stone foundations.
The former monks' dining hall was converted into the village parish church after the monastery's destruction and remains in religious use today. This building directly links the monastic past with the present-day community.
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