Abbeys & priories · South West England
Forde Abbey
In or near Thorncombe.
Forde Abbey — Grade I listed historic house museum in West Dorset, England, UK.
Wikimedia Commons contributors — see linked file page for photographer and licence licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 45 min–1.5 h
- Nearest railway station
- Axminster · 9.6 km
- Paid entry
- Family-friendly
- Limited wheelchair access
Getting there & planning your visit
To visit Forde Abbey, the nearest railway station is Axminster, located 9.6 km away. The postcode for sat-nav is TA20 4LU. Please note that wheelchair accessibility is limited.
About
Forde Abbey is an abbey, priory, or monastic site in the United Kingdom. Records date its origin to 1101. Built in the Gothic architecture style. Heritage designation: scheduled monument. Wikidata describes it as: "Grade I listed historic house museum in West Dorset, England, UK". Coordinates: 50.8422°, -2.9109°.
Photo gallery
Heritage listing
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.
From the Historic England List Entry under OGL v3.
Summary from the official site
Forde Abbey is a historic house and gardens set within thirty acres of beautifully landscaped grounds. Visitors can explore the rich history of the Abbey, including its stunning interior and the famous Mortlake tapestries, as well as enjoy the evolving gardens that feature sustainable designs.
Read more on the official property page.
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
- Opening
- Gardens daily 10:30am–5:00pm; House Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sun 12:00pm–3:30pm; closed Mondays and Saturdays.
- Official site
- www.fordeabbey.co.uk
Sources
- wikidata: Q689615 (CC0)
- wikipedia: Forde Abbey (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- commons: Forde Abbey 061.jpg (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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Frequently asked questions
- Where is Forde Abbey?
- Forde Abbey is in South-West England, United Kingdom (postcode TA20 4LU), in the parish of Thorncombe.
- What is Forde Abbey?
- Forde Abbey — Grade I listed historic house museum in West Dorset, England, UK.
- How do I get to Forde Abbey?
- The nearest railway station is Axminster, about 9.6 km away. Drivers can use postcode TA20 4LU.
- When was Forde Abbey built?
- Built or established in 1101.
- Is Forde Abbey a listed building?
- Forde Abbey is officially recognised as scheduled monument listed.
- 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.