 The ruins of Waverley Abbey | |
  Location within Surrey | |
| Monastery information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | The Abbey of the Blessed Mary of Waverley |
| Order | Cistercian |
| Established | 1128 |
| Disestablished | 1536 |
| Mother house | L'Aumône Abbey, Normandy, France |
| Dedicated to | St Mary |
| People | |
| Founder(s) | William Giffard, Bishop of Winchester |
| Site | |
| Location | Borough of Waverley, Surrey, England |
| Coordinates | 51°12′00″N 0°45′36″W / 51.200°N 0.760°W |
| Visible remains | Ruins |
| Public access | Yes: Free of Charge Managed by English Heritage |
Waverley Abbey was the first Cistercian abbey in England,[1] founded in 1128 by William Giffard, the Bishop of Winchester.
Located about 2 miles (3.2 km) southeast of Farnham, Surrey, it is situated on a flood-plain; surrounded by current and previous channels of the River Wey. It was damaged on more than one occasion by severe flooding, resulting in rebuilding in the 13th century. Despite being the first Cistercian abbey in England, and being motherhouse to several other abbeys, Waverley was "slenderly endowed" and its monks are recorded as having endured poverty and famine.
The abbey was suppressed in 1536 as part of King Henry VIII's Dissolution of the Monasteries. Subsequently, largely demolished, its stone was reused in local buildings, likely including "Waverley Abbey House", which was built in 1723 in the northern portion of the former abbey precinct.
Waverley Abbey House, the ruins of the abbey and the surrounding land are all part of a conservation area. The house is a Grade II* listed building[2] and the ruins a scheduled monument.[3]
The ruins of the abbey are currently managed by English Heritage and open to the public.
- ^ "CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Cistercians in the British Isles". www.newadvent.org. Retrieved 7 July 2018.
- ^ Historic England (26 April 1950). "Waverley Abbey House (Grade II*) (1258221)". National Heritage List for England.
- ^ Historic England (20 November 1925). "Waverley Abbey: a Cistercian monastery south of Waverley Abbey House (Grade Scheduled Monument) (1007814)". National Heritage List for England.