Rufford Abbey

Two miles south of Ollerton in Nottinghamshire, England, lies a country estate called Rufford Abbey. Following the Dissolution of the Monasteries in the 16th century, it was changed from a Cistercian abbey to a country home. The remaining portions of the mansion, which are situated in 150 acres of park and woodland but were partially destroyed in the 20th century, are now known as Rufford Country Park. A neighborhood nature reserve is a part of the park. Gilbert de Gant established the first Cistercian abbey there on July 12, 1147. Cistercian monks from Yorkshire's Rievaulx Abbey settled there.

The Abbey was turned into a country estate during the Dissolution of the Monasteries in the 16th century, but some of its remnants were incorporated into the opulent Tudor palace, and what is left of the abbey offers one of the nation's finest examples of Cistercian architecture. A monk's refectory and cellar in the evocative 12th-century ruins give visitors a glimpse into what life was like for the monks who lived and worked here 900 years ago.

Rubble, brick, dressed stone, ashlar with ashlar dressings, and simple tile roofs make up the structure of the house. It is categorized as an Ancient Monument with a Grade I listing.

Location: Rufford, near Ollerton, Nottinghamshire, England