Cleeve Abbey, Cistercian monastery in Old Cleeve, England
Cleeve Abbey is a medieval Cistercian monastery in Old Cleeve, Somerset, with partially preserved convent buildings including a refectory with late medieval roof timbers and wall paintings. The monastic complex also contains ruins of the chapter house, kitchen, and other residential buildings that show how the monks organized their living spaces.
The abbey was founded in the late 12th century and developed into a prosperous Cistercian house over several generations. It was dissolved in 1536 during Henry VIII's closure of the monasteries, after which the church was demolished and many buildings fell into disrepair.
The chapter house displays features typical of Cistercian monasteries, showing how monks gathered here to discuss rules and make decisions together. The way the room is arranged still reveals itself today through its proportions and surviving details.
The site is accessible year-round and offers free entry to explore the ruins at your own pace. The paths are partly uneven and overgrown, so sturdy shoes and care are needed, especially in wet weather.
Despite the destruction of the monastic church, the site preserves the best-preserved set of domestic buildings among all English Cistercian monasteries. Notably, many of these spaces still show their original function and spatial relationship to one another.
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