Castle or abbey

Cleeve Abbey

Washford, Somerset

The best-preserved monks' quarters in England, with medieval paintings still on the walls.

Cleeve was a Cistercian abbey, built for monks who lived simple lives of prayer and farming. Its church was knocked down after Henry VIII closed it, but the buildings around the cloister were turned into a farmhouse and survived.

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When: Founded 1198, closed 1536
Where: 51.1700, -3.3800
Group: Castles & abbeys

Visiting

English Heritage, open in season.

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