Home»All Photographs»Cathedrals, Abbeys and Churches»Yorkshire Abbeys»Roche Abbey

A typical Cistercian foundation: isolated, serenne location, in stunning surroundings endowed with plentiful resoucres to support self-sufficiency. Only the North and South Transepts remiain above ground level but at founation level the entire floorplan is visible. The site should have far more visitors than it gets because of its isolation.Founded in 1147 as a daughter house of NewminsterAbbey (a daughter house of Fountains Abbey) in Northumerland, the church was completed in 25 years. At its peak it supported 60 monks and 175 lay brothers; at the dissolution on 23 June 1538 there were 14 monks and 2 novices.