About St Mary’s Abbey
St Mary’s Abbey is a picturesque ruined Benedictine abbey in York, located in York Museum Gardens. Once the richest abbey in the north of England, it now tells the story of York’s influential ecclesiastical past, and its degradation through Henry VIII’s dissolution of the monasteries.
St Mary’s Abbey history
The first church on the site of St Mary’s was built in 1055 and dedicated to St Olaf of Norway, and following the Norman conquest was refounded by King William Rufus in 1088 during his visit to York. The following year it was rededicated to the Virgin Mary.
The ruins that survive today were begun in 1270 and finished by 1294, and were meant to mirror the grandeur and eminence of York Minster. Between 40 and 60 monks would have lived in the Abbey, plus up to 50 young pupils of the minster school and a host of servants. Prayer took place eight times a day, starting at 2am.
In the 1530s, Henry VIII began the dissolution of the monasteries in response to his break with the Catholic church. St Mary’s Abbey was dismantled, with much of its ornate structure destroyed and many of its records burnt. The Abbey handed over £2,085 – the modern day equivalent of around £900,000 – and 50 of its monks to the Crown.
The Abbey today
Today the Abbey lies in ruins, providing a picturesque and contemplative backdrop to picnics and walks through York Museum Gardens. Visitors can trace the north and west walls, admiring what once have been a magnificent structure, as well as viewing the 14th century abbots house, now called King’s Manor. The medieval Hospitium, once used to house guests of the abbey, also lies nearby.
The Museum Gardens, once encompassing the entire abbey complex, provide respite from York’s bustling streets, and also contain Ancient Roman ruins and the Yorkshire Museum should you desire a wide array of attractions!
Stone from the abbey’s ruins can be found all over York, including in Clifford’s Tower, the Castle Museum buildings and St Olave’s Church.
Getting to the Abbey
St Mary’s Abbey is located in York Museum Gardens in the city centre, just west of York Minster. It is a 10 minute walk from York train station, and its nearest bus stop is Museum Street.
A number of car parks are available throughout the city, and York also operates various Park and Ride services.
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