Ruins of a North Yorkshire monastery have been named as the UK’s joint best historical attraction, alongside the Royal Yacht Britannia, the decommissioned royal yacht moored in Edinburgh. The list was compiled by consumer organisation Which? A poll of nearly 3000 members between April and May 2022 rated attractions according to their entertainment and visitor engagement value, facilities, food and drink, lack of crowds, and value for money.
Fountains Abbey beat other internationally renowned attractions such as Stonehenge, Windsor Castle, Chatsworth House and the Tower of London.
The Which? review of Fountains Abbey says: “What’s most remarkable about Fountains Abbey in Yorkshire is the sheer scale of what remains of the Cistercian monastery,” adding that, “for a religious order so devoted to simplicity, the detailed masonry and sheer grandeur are staggering”.
Visitors commended a river path taking visitors to the abbey where there is unrestricted access to the 12th-century ruins. The site also offers the water garden at Studley Royal which is one of the few great 18th century gardens to have survived well in its original form. Those who rated the attraction highly in the survey praised the “calm atmosphere” and “leisurely walks” on offer in more than 800 acres of grounds, with the attraction scoring a full five stars for lack of crowds, as well as how accurately the description matched reality. The consumer group said Fountains Abbey offers, “a unique day out with visitors telling us they enjoyed the opportunity to immerse themselves in a slice of history for the day”.
Justin Scully, general manager of the World Heritage Site attraction, said: “We’re thrilled; I know from chatting to visitors, the connection to the past and the sense of tranquillity they feel here at Fountains Abbey.”
The abbey, managed by the National Trust, is one of the largest Cistercian abbey ruins in Europe. It was a thriving monastic community for 400 years until the dissolution of the monasteries in 1539.
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