Byland Abbey | England Photo Spot

Once one of the greatest English monasteries, now the Byland Abbey sits peacefully as a beautiful ruin. A truly outstanding example of early gothic architecture, Byland Abbey inspired the design of church buildings throughout the north, including the famous York Minster Rose Window. Byland Abbey was first established as a monastery of the Savigniac order, eventually becoming part of the better known Cistercian order in the mid-12th century. The creation of the Abbey was a long process involving the draining of marshland and construction of a magnificent church, taking over 30 years to complete. In 1538 Byland voluntarily surrendered to the Crown, with its monks receiving a pension in exchange. The Abbey was stripped of lead, glass, timber and anything else of value and left a shell. (Wass, England)