Welcome to Haughmond Abbey

Sunshine greetings from a 12th Century Abbey.

Sunshine greetings from a 12th Century Abbey.

Haughmond Abbey, 27th May 2023 (Author’s Collection).

With the temperatures here in the UK tiptoeing past 20 degrees Celsius and the Great Fire God of the Sky almost guaranteed in what many lunatics are calling a “mini-heatwave” when we simply called it “Summer” when we were children, however we don’t have time for such tales from those long, hot Summers of a long ago past. Not today anyway.

No you’re here for the absolute majesty of Haughmond Abbey and I can completely concur with your reasoning. She’s a beauty isn’t she? But first, with the UK “basking” and “sizzling” in the benevolent rays of a beautiful sun, plans were made to whisk my son to Chirk Castle (whilst amusing myself by also taking him to the two highest navigable canal aqueducts in the world as I know it’ll scare the socks from his feet) but before feet were we detached from socks, we’d wander around the magnificent gardens of the castle and take some pictures with some Nymphs.

Don’t believe me?

Take a peek here at an article I penned on Chirk Castle last year, one of two visits during the Summer:

A beautiful return to Chirk Castle
14th September 2022medium.com

But sickness in the camp ruled out a longer drive across the squiggly border between England and Wales and plans are in place for another “Beautiful return to Chirk Castle” this coming Wednesday. So we went to a 12th Century “Augustinian Ruin” instead!

This morning was also a return and a second visit following last Summer’s early morning sojourn that was, well, too early. Hopping over a fence beat that pesky padlocked door and being as I was, quite innocently, walking around and taking pictures at 8am and a full two hours before the site is officially open drew rather a sharp tongue from the lady groundskeeper on her morning walk. I apologised and made for the exit mindful that I hadn’t quite captured the last third of the site yet.

Two minutes later: “I see you haven’t left yet then”.

Five minutes later: “I can still see you taking pictures over there”.

But can you blame me? She sure is a beauty and so radiant in such glorious morning sunshine.

So welcome to Haughmond Abbey

“The extensive remains of an Augustinian Abbey, including its Abbots’ Quarters, Refectory and Cloister. The substantially surviving Chapter House has a frontage richly bedecked with 12th and 14th century carving and statuary, and a fine timber roof of around 1500”.

Any further quotations from hereon in will be from the extensive information boards placed around the site and all of these images were taken by your humble narrator, on 27th day of May in the year of the Great Fire God of the Sky, 2023.

Care to take a sunshine filled pictorial stroll around some English history?

Welcome to Haughmond Abbey and please note the opening time and no jumping over the fence at 8am!

You Are Here! From this official entrance you will see the incredible remains from the middle third of this artist’s visualisation of the site.

Your first view as you enter the site and the imposing archway of the “Abbot’s Hall”.

The “Abbot’s Hall”. “The Great Hall of the Abott’s Lodging was built in the 14th Century. This splendid interior was covered by an open timber roof and its windows were filled with glass”.

The “Abbot’s Hall”.

Two reverse views and exterior of the “Abbot’s Hall” — Part 1.

Two reverse views and exterior of the “Abbot’s Hall” — Part 2.

The Kitchen and Refectory. “You are now in the courtyard that stood at the centre of the Abbey’s domestic quarters. To the left was the Canon’s kitchen with its massive fireplaces. In front are the remains of the Refectory where the Canon’s ate. The ruins of the communal dormitory are to the right”.

Refectory and Chapter House “Beyond the Refectory is the main Cloister. The Chapter House with its three beautiful arches decorated with the figures of saints is on the right. Here the Canon’s met every day to discuss business”.

Return view from the centre of the courtyard.

“The massive fireplaces in this wall show that this building was the kitchen. Food prepared here was taken to the “Abbot’s Hall on the left or the Refectory on the right”.

The “Refectory”.

“The Refectory was the Canon’s dining hall. It was raised over a pillared undercroft, which was probably used for storage”.

The Cloister — “Below these two arches were basins fed with running water. The Canon’s washed their hands here before entering the Refectory for meals”.

The remains of the “Chapter House”.

“You are standing outside the west end of the Abbey Church beside the ruins of the Porch”.

“This was where the public entered the church building”.

“The church was the most important building in the Abbey, where the community gathered every day for prayer and the celebration of The Devine Service”.

Two views from The Presbytery — “This was the site of the High Altar of the Church”.

Two views from The Presbytery — “Behind it stood a stone or timber screen called a reredos, decorated with images of saints and the crucifixion”.

Two raised views of the entire site — Part 1.

Two raised views of the entire site — Part 2.

A final view from the exterior of the site via the latrine. Yes the latrine!

Haughmond Abbey in the sunshine. Thanks for the memories.

Thanks for reading. There are now over 100 separate articles contained within my “UK Travel” library for you to enjoy from the canals of England and Wales through to castles, cathedrals and centuries old ruins that dot the border between these two countries. Alternatively, here are my three most recently published articles:

A sunshine filled return to the canal
Wheaton Aston to Brewood, 24th May 2023.medium.com

Breakfast in Ironbridge
A pictorial stroll along the River Severn.medium.com

A canal stroll into the past — Part II
Beautiful Audlem Mill.medium.com