Bermondsey Abbey, Medieval abbey ruins in Southwark, England
Bermondsey Abbey is a medieval monastery in Southwark with foundation walls and stone artifacts beneath present-day Bermondsey Square and adjacent buildings. The remains show the layout of a Benedictine monastery that developed over centuries under French monastic influence.
The monastery was established in 1082 and quickly became a Cluniac community when four French monks arrived in 1089. After its dissolution during the Reformation, its role as a religious and economic center came to an end.
The monastery held deep connections to royal circles and served as a sanctuary for members of the Tudor family and nobility. This link to power made it a central place in the lives of London's elite.
Parts of the foundations are visible through glass panels in a restaurant at Bermondsey Square, where 2005 excavations revealed archaeological finds. The site is best explored on foot around the square, where information boards mark where the former monastery once stood.
The monastery controlled properties scattered across England, from Kent to Somerset and Norfolk, revealing how powerful and wealthy it had become. These extensive holdings made it one of the most influential religious institutions of its era.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
