While in Leeds in the middle of July, I visited Kirkstall Abbey ruins. They abbey at Kirkstall was a Cistercian monastary and founded in the 1150s. The ruins are picturesque and have featured in paintings by famous artists. The abbey started its life by the founders of Pontefract who dedicated the abbey after a serious illness, and Fountains Abbey was also founded under direction of the same man. Now in ruins, its ruins are one of the best preserved after meeting its fate after the dissolution of monastaries. After it was abandoned, it fell to ruin over the years. Some of the stone was used in other local building projects.
The first ruins (and the ones to visit without paying the entrance cost of the abbey) is that of the guest house. It was a large house set away from the abbey so that the monks would not disturb the guests.
During my visit, there was a special art and craft sale on, so the monastary ruins were busy with people setting up.
Below are the cloisters.
Sacristy.
The interior of the abbey cathedral.
A small chapel in the abbey.
Some of the other buildings on the site outside of the abbey.
That concludes my visit to Kirkstall Abbey. Across the road from the abbey is the Abbey House Museum, which is also worth a visit.
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