I hadn’t heard of Rievaulx Abbey before I went, though I'd driven past it a good few times. It’s just off the main road between Chop Gate and Helmsley and there’s also
Rievaulx Terrace next door to it. The Abbey is looked after by the English Heritage
whereas the Terrace is run by the National Trust. It costs about £8 to get in
and you can walk around the whole Abbey and grounds. There was also the option
to buy a map or an audio guide to help you walk round.
The Abbey itself is impressive; it was founded in
1132 and most of the Abbey is still standing. Parts of the tiled floor and
other rooms and buildings were also still intact. I particularly liked the
arches where the windows would have been and took lots of photos. It’s strange
to think how the Abbey would have once looked before it was pulled down on the
orders of Henry VIII (my 14 times great-grandfather nonetheless) in 1538.
Once you've made your way round the Abbey (there's
lots to look round) there's a café at the end to enjoy a cup of tea.
