Where is Forde Abbey?

Forde Abbey is in South-West England, United Kingdom (postcode TA20 4LU), in the parish of Thorncombe.

How do I get to Forde Abbey?

The nearest railway station is Axminster, about 9.6 km away. Drivers can use postcode TA20 4LU.

Is Forde Abbey a protected site?

Yes — Forde Abbey is part of the Dorset National Landscape (AONB).

How do I get to Forde Abbey?

Drivers can navigate to postcode TA20 4LU. It sits within the West Dorset parliamentary constituency.

Cathedrals · South West England

Forde Abbey

In or near Thorncombe.

♿ Wheelchair: limited

Forde Abbey is a cathedral in the United Kingdom.

Plan your visit

Typical visit: 1 h–2 h
Best time of year: Year-round
Nearest railway station: Axminster · 9.6 km

Family-friendly
Limited wheelchair access

Forde Abbey is a cathedral in england south west, United Kingdom — the principal church of its diocese, dating from 1101. Cathedrals are seats of bishops in the Church of England, the Roman Catholic Church, and other Christian denominations across Britain.

Photo gallery

Official information

Forde Abbey is a historic house and gardens set in thirty acres of beautifully landscaped grounds. Visitors can explore the interior of the house, which features notable Mortlake tapestries, and enjoy the evolving gardens that include various themed areas.

Protected designations

Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty: Dorset

Designations sourced from Natural England open data under OGL v3.

From the Wikipedia article

Forde Abbey is a privately owned former Cistercian monastery in Dorset, England. The house and gardens are run as a tourist attraction while the 1,600-acre (650 ha) estate is farmed to provide additional revenue. Forde Abbey is a grade I listed building.

Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.

Background

History

Between 1133 and 1136, wealthy nobleman Richard de Brioniis built a priory on his land at Brightley (meaning "bright" or "clear" pasture) and invited Gilbert, Abbot of Waverley in Surrey, to send 12 monks to form a new Cistercian community there. One story is that the agricultural land surrounding the new priory was insufficiently fertile, forcing the monks to consider returning to the mother house in 1141. However, Adelicia de Brioniis, the sister of Richard and successor to his estate, offered them an alternative site close to the River Axe in the manor of Thorncombe. Here, between 1141 and 1148, they built a new priory which came to be known as "Ford" due to its proximity to an old river…

Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Coordinates: 50.8422, -2.9109
District: Dorset
Parish: Thorncombe
Postcode: TA20 4LU
Parliamentary constituency: West Dorset
Phone: +44 1460 220231
Established: 1101
Nearest railway station: Axminster — 9.6 km
Official site: www.fordeabbey.co.uk

Sources

wikidata: Q689615 (CC0)
wikipedia: Forde Abbey (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Other places nearby

Nearby

📷 5

Abbeys & priories · South West England

Forde Abbey

Forde Abbey — Grade I listed historic house museum in West Dorset, England, UK.

👶↗ fordeabbey.co.uk

📷 5

Historic houses · South West England

Leigh House

Leigh House — historic site in Somerset, England, UK.

👶

📷 5

Villages · South West England

Winsham

Winsham — a village in england south west.

📷 3

Historic bridges · South West England

Winsham Bridge (That Part In Winsham Civil Parish And Somerset County Council)

Winsham Bridge (That Part In Winsham Civil Parish And Somerset County Council) — Grade II listed building-listed bridge in england-south-west, United Kingdom.

Free🐕

Station Road, South Chard - geograph.org.uk - 5269932

📷 3

Historic houses · South West England

WW2 Pill Box (Intact)

WW2 Pill Box (Intact) — a historic house in england-south-west, United Kingdom.

👶

📷 5

Historic houses · South West England

WW2 Pillbox (Intact)

WW2 Pillbox (Intact) — a historic house in england-south-west, United Kingdom.

👶