Scheduled MonumentsEnglandSt Mary's Abbey

St Mary's Abbey

England
List entry 1004919
Nation
England
Boundary

Scheduled area

© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Historic England (NHLE)

Overview

History & significance

St Mary's Abbey is a ruined Benedictine monastery located in York, founded in 1086 as a daughter house of the Benedictine abbey of Whitby. The abbey became one of the most significant religious establishments in medieval Yorkshire, accumulating considerable landholdings and wealth throughout the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. The surviving remains include substantial sections of the precinct walls and fragments of the claustral buildings, with the most prominent feature being the late twelfth-century stone walls that defined the monastic enclosure. The abbey was dissolved during Henry VIII's Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1539 and subsequently fell into ruin, though its architectural remains remain an important testament to medieval monastic life in northern England.

St Mary's Abbey is a scheduled monument protected by Historic England under reference 1004919. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is St Mary's Abbey?

St Mary's Abbey is a ruined Benedictine monastery located in York, founded in 1086 as a daughter house of the Benedictine abbey of Whitby. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic England (NHLE) under reference 1004919.

Who is responsible for protecting St Mary's Abbey?

St Mary's Abbey is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by Historic England (NHLE) — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in England. The official designation reference is 1004919.

What other scheduled monuments are near St Mary's Abbey?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including South angle tower of Roman fortress (0.5 km), Merchant's Hall, Fossgate (0.7 km), York Castle: motte and bailey castle, tower keep castle (including Clifford's Tower), and site of part of Romano-British fort-vicus and Anglian cemetery (0.9 km).

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