Free to visit despite being owned by English Heritage, Byland Abbey is the kind of place that takes your breath away when you spot it on a ride. It dates back to the 1100s and was once one of the grandest medieval monasteries. The monks earned a lot through sheep farming and the monastery remained highly active until Henry VIII decided that he was better off in charge, setting up the Church of England and taking away power from the Roman Catholic. In 1536 he ordered 800 abbeys, monasteries and convents to be closed down, setting the Dissolution of the Monasteries in force (1536-1540). These days the ruins provide a beautiful picnic spot and a hands-on history lesson instead.

There's an Abbey tearoom open from March to November that does decent cakes and coffee too.

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Elevation 140 m

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Thursday 25 December

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Take Me There

Location: Byland With Wass, Ryedale, North Yorkshire, Yorkshire And The Humber, England, United Kingdom

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Byland Abbey Ruins

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