Kirkstall Abbey
My trip around Kirkstall Abbey
Visit Kirkstall Abbey which is nestled in the picturesque parkland along the banks of the river Aire. The Abbey was built in 1152 but in 1538, during the dissolution of the monasteries, it was disestablished by Henry VIII.
There was a £5.5 million renovation programme, which allows visitors to interact with exhibits and experience the lives of the monks.
It’s free to enter the Abbey, however, there’s a donation box. It’s also located across from the Abbey House Museum which was open in July 1927, however there is a small charge to visit.
Within a century of the Abbey closing down, this path was used a road. The road was finally moved in the 19th century to which is now known as the A65.
On the day of visiting, we entered with enthusiasm of what the Abbey could hold. To enter the Abbey, we had to go through the gift shop, here we purchased two christmas baubles which were handmade by local craftsman. There was also something else that caught our eye…
This loveable doorstop.
After walking through the gift shop, we the entered The Laybrothers Building. There was up to 75 laybrothers who carried out manual labour.
From here we walked into their ‘relaxation’ area, which is now a grassy area. This is the centre of the Abbey, from here you can enter The Church, The Chapter House, and The Abbot’s Lodging.
Overall, we thoroughly enjoyed visiting the Abbey and learning about the monks culture, and enhancing our knowledge of the local city.
