A 12th Century Cistercian Monastery in 21st Century sunshine
From inside the central remains of Buildwas Abbey, Sunday 7th August 2022 (Author’s Collection).
Buildwas is a tiny village a mile or so along the River Severn from the World Heritage Site of Ironbridge and this visit was a precursor to yet another joy filled stroll through that particularly famous “toytown”. Here, this 12th Century monastery was looking radiant in the late morning sunshine of a beautiful Sunday in Shropshire and in the very beating heart of central England.
This Cistercian Monastery is famous for many things but particularly so the tiled floor of the Chapter House (which I fail to represent here) and the intricate ceilings seen in so many other ruins of the period. The ceilings are well represented as is a gentle stroll around the Abbey and aside from one image, I’ve omitted the small amount of building work that blights the near entrance to the Abbey and the well manicured and maintained grounds.
*All images captured by me on Sunday 7th August 2022*
An opening view of the arched remains of the Abbey.
(1) The site is incredibly well maintained affording gentle slopes and hillocks that surround the ruins.
(2) The site is incredibly well maintained affording gentle slopes and hillocks that surround the ruins.
(3) The site is incredibly well maintained affording gentle slopes and hillocks that surround the ruins.
The ceiling design seen at many other Abbey’s and ruins of the period and Lilleshall Abbey just 20 or so miles away.
A sun glared ruined/enhanced image of the entrance to the Chapter House and it’s famed tile floor.
(1) Five beautiful representations of the ornate ceiling designs from within the Chapter House.
(2) Five beautiful representations of the ornate ceiling designs from within the Chapter House.
(3) Five beautiful representations of the ornate ceiling designs from within the Chapter House.
(4) Five beautiful representations of the ornate ceiling designs from within the Chapter House.
(5) Five beautiful representations of the ornate ceiling designs from within the Chapter House.
Room adjacent to the Chapter House.
(1) I adore the juxtapositions between the ruins and the earth that continues to turn around her centuries later.
(2) I adore the juxtapositions between the ruins and the earth that continues to turn around her centuries later.
(1) Five rotating images from within the original church structure.
(2) Five rotating images from within the original church structure.
(3) Five rotating images from within the original church structure.
(4) Five rotating images from within the original church structure.
(5) Five rotating images from within the original church structure.
A sun glared final image of the outside of the Abbey/Church.
(1) Two final wide shots of the outside of the Abbey.
(2) Two final wide shots of the outside of the Abbey.
Your humble narrator, the day after the day before and now larking around the ruins of nearby Lilleshall Abbey.
Thanks for reading. Please see my archived articles for more from historical ruins such as these or my soothing trips beside the rivers and canal waterways of the UK.
Alternatively, my three most recently published articles within my travel series are linked below:
