Merevale Abbey, a Cistercian monastery, associated water control features and industrial remains

Heritage listing

Details The monument includes two areas situated at the junction of two small valleys, approximately 1.2km to the west of Atherstone. The central part of the monument includes the ruins of two conventual buildings, which are Listed Grade II and II*, and buried remains associated with the core of the monastery. The monument is more extensive than this, however. It also includes the earthwork remains of buildings and other features within the monastic precinct, parts of a monastic water management system and early industrial remains. Merevale Abbey, a monastery of the Cistercian order, was founded by Robert, Earl Ferrers in 1148 and was colonised by monks from Bordesley Abbey, Worcestershire. Following its Dissolution in 1538 the monastery's estates were granted to Sir Walter Devereux, Lord Ferrers but following the death of his son in 1579 the property passed to Robert, Earl of Essex. The main abbey buildings lie among the agricultural buildings and farmhouse of Abbey Farm on a spur of land which falls gently away to the north into the valley of a stream flowing west-east. The spur falls away more steeply to the south east into a second valley which joins the main valley some 300m to the east of the monastic church. The conventual buildings on this spur were originally surrounded by water on three sides: by man-made pools of water to the north and south and by a waterfilled ditch extending from the pools along its eastern side. An excavation in 1849 and a watching brief in 1967 have provided information about the layout of the monastic buildings and many of these will survive as buried structures beneath the farm buildings. The monastic church is situated towards the centre of the spur. The part of the south wall of its south aisle which remains standing is Listed Grade

From the Historic England List Entry under OGL v3.