Lush and water of royal beauty - Studley Royal Park including the Ruins of Fountains Abbey 372
What and Why
An absolute delight to the eye and camera, the Studley Royal Park is a huge beautiful park of green, water and a Cistercian (Latin: Cisterciensis) abbey ruin. It is located in Ripon and offers an enjoyable day of picnic and outing. The abbey ruins go as far as the 12th century CE while the park is largely built during the 18th century CE. The park had profound influence for future parks as it paved the way for the popularisation of the concept of English gardens.
Toponymy
While the name to the park is unclear, Studley comes from Old English stod 'stud farm' + leah 'wood or pasture'. The city is named after the abbot of the Fountains, John Ripon who was abbot during the 15th century CE.
See
We follow the above plan using the circuit starting from the visitor centre and ending with Saint Mary's church.
Fountains Abbey
Fountains Abbey is one of the largest and best preserved ruined Cistercian monasteries in the United Kingdom. Founded during the 12th century CE, the abbey operated for more than 400 years and became one of the wealthiest monasteries in England. The term Cistercian derives from Cistercium, the Latin name for the French village of Cîteaux, where a group of Benedictine monks from the monastery of Molesme founded Cîteaux Abbey in the late 11th century CE, with the goal of following more closely the Benedictine rules and became a new Catholic order.
In spite of the fact that the abbey has almost completely collapsed and ruins, one cannot mistake the majesty and size of the abbey.
Former nave.
The cloistered, former dining hall.
The tower.
Fountains Hall
A grand country mansion near the abbey with lots of ghost stories.
Water garden
The crown of the entire premise. The Georgian garden's elegant ornamental lakes, canals, temples and cascades provide a succession of dramatic eye-catching vistas. Some of the photospots include the massive waterway and garden, the Octagonal Tower, the Temple of Fame, and the obelisk.
Water park.
The centrepiece crescent pool.
Saint Mary's Church
Described as a Victorian shrine, and in some documents an 'ecclesiastical masterpiece'. During the period Romanticism is the trend and hence once can see all sorts of hints of European flavour in the park.
Getting There and Around
Drive only, although there are occasional buses from York to Ripon. The park is a good day or afternoon walk. The entrance fee is GBP £16.50.
UNESCO Inscription
In the 18th century a designed landscape of exceptional beauty was created around the ruins of the Cistercian Fountains Abbey, in Yorkshire. The spectacular ruins of the 12th century abbey and water mill, the Jacobean mansion of Fountains Hall, the Victorian masterpiece St Mary’s Church and one of the most magnificent Georgian water gardens ever created, make this a landscape of outstanding merit.
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