Rievaulx Abbey

Rievaulx Abbey was founded in 1132 by the Cistercian monks from France. Lord Helmsley of nearby castle fame, gave them the land to get himself closer to heaven--good luck with that. It was inhabited for 400 years and, at it's peak, housed 500 men.

Now it's a very photogenic ruin because of the dissolution of the monasteries in the 1500s. Henry the VIII was responsible (not Henry VII) as I incorrectly noted earlier. He was just that desperate to get a divorce. Oh yeah, and take all religious wealth for his own.

Besides the ruins of the abbey itself, there are also ruins of the monk's living and working quarters.