From the fabulous Fountains Abbey in the north of the county to the mysterious Kirkstall Abbey in the west and Beverley Minster in the east – strangely there is no South Riding – the heritage of centuries survives here in all its glory, nestling amongst amazing scenery famed for its wonderful walking country.

Fountains Abbey by Joccay

World Heritage Site

The area around Fountains Abbey has been designated a UNESCO world heritage site, such is its beauty.

If the 12th century Cistercian Abbey itself isn’t enough, there’s the somewhat spooky Serpentine Tunnel, the Temple of Fame in the water gardens, and the Fountains Mill, which until the 1920s was a going concern and which now houses an interactive exhibition where visitors can have a go at grinding their own corn.

Rievaulx Abbey in the north of the country was the first abbey for the Cistercian monks in the north of England.

At its peak, Rievaulx housed 150 monks and another 500 lay brethren, but the Great Plague wiped out many, and by the time of the dissolution of the monasteries only 23 remained.

The new owner, the Earl of Rutland, destroyed much of the architecture, but what remains of the church, refectory and chapter house still makes a spectacular sight.

Kirkstall Abbey lies in the West Riding, just outside Leeds.

Set in stunning parkland along the banks of the River Aire, Kirkstall is an early example of monastic life, and today is one of the best preserved abbeys in the whole country.

Mount Grace Priory in the north is another of Yorkshire’s well-preserved pieces of ecclesiastic architecture, and is a prime example of a Carthusian monastery where the monks spent their time as virtual hermits – the foundations of 23 cells can still be seen and one has been reconstructed to show how the inhabitants might have lived in the 14th century.

Most Beautiful Building in Yorkshire

Beverley Minster in the east was originally founded as a monastery well over a thousand years ago, and the church that remains today dates from the 13th and 14th centuries.

Rich in sculptures and carvings as well as history, Beverley is a cathedral in every aspect – except in status. Yorkshire historian and author J.E. Morris described it nearly 100 years ago as “the most beautiful building in Yorkshire.”

The spectacular ruins of Whitby Abbey in the North Riding were used as a backdrop for parts of Bram Stoker’s Dracula.

This is one of the most atmospheric ruins anywhere, overlooking the brooding North Sea above the town.

Whitby Abbey by Mrs Logic

Nicki Williams writes for Gear-Zone, specialists in outdoor clothing and walking footwear, where you’ll find all the top brands including Rab, The North Face, Berghaus, Scarpa, Merrell and Brasher.

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