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

Situated now within the boundary of Leeds, it is difficult to imagine that Kirkstall Abbey, when founded in 1152 as a daughter house of Fountains Abbey, was on the edge of civilisation in the heavily wooded Aire Valley, occupied only by hermits who were paid to move out. Building was largely complete by 1182, under the auspices of the first abbot. The remaining ruins are still amongt the most complete of Cistercian abbeys in England. Kirkstall Abbey was surrended to the King's Commissioners on 22 November 1539 and was awarded to Thomas Cranmer in 1542 but reverted to the Crown when Cranmer was executed in 1556.