Things to do at Fountains Abbey
The ruins of Fountains Abbey are truly something to behold. Walk down the path from the visitor centre or along from West Gate car park and come face to face with some of the oldest abbey ruins in the country. As well as the abbey itself, you can explore Porter's Lodge, Fountains Hall, Fountains Mill and learn about heritage crafts at Swanley Grange.
Exploring safely
The abbey ruin is nearly 900 years old and there are steps and stairs which have been worn unevenly over time. Please take time and care when exploring. We recommend wearing sturdy shoes when you visit. There are some gentle and steep slopes throughout the estate. Please also be aware of uneven ground, height drops and deep running water.
Porter’s Lodge
Before you start exploring the abbey itself, make sure to pop inside Porter's Lodge, tucked inside the original gatehouse, which sits on the edge of the west green overlooking the abbey.
Important visitors to the abbey would have passed through the gatehouse, while local poor people would have gathered outside the gates waiting for free food from the monks.
Today you can learn about the abbey’s rise from humble origins to religious powerhouse, and its eventual decline. You will also see a model showing the abbey as it would have looked before the Dissolution of the Monasteries in the 1530s.
Guided tours
Every Saturday and Sunday at 11pm and 2pm
Join our volunteer tour guides to unearth the monastic secrets of the largest abbey ruins in the country and learn more about the daily routines of the monks who lived here.
If you'd like to find out even more after your tour, you can meet your guide in the abbey cloister at 12pm where they'll be able to answer any of your questions and discuss the history of the ruins in more detail.
Alternatively, you can pick up a handset from the Visitor Centre and West Gate admission points and head on a self-led tour through the grounds of the abbey.
The abbey ruins
The Chapel of the Nine Altars
Once you're up to speed on the turbulent history of these ruins, it's time to walk across the west green and step into the cavernous nave, which looks down to the 'crossing'. Here you'll find both the oldest and newest part of the abbey, with the Chapel of the Nine Altars at the end.
The cellarium
Soak up the view over to the cellarium, which you will spot the moment the abbey comes into view. It sprawls off to the side of the main abbey building – look out for the arched doorways and large windows. As you wander under the low roof you can easily imagine this chilly space as it once was: a food store.
It's now used for events such as Carols by Candlelight at Christmas, choir performances during Fountains by Floodlight and for services throughout the year. It's also been used as a filming site, including for the BBC short series Gunpowder about the Guy Fawkes plot.
Upcoming services in the cellarium:
Carols by Candlelight at 3pm on Sunday 8 and Sunday 15 December. This service is free to attend but tickets must be booked in advance. Tickets will be available to book in November.
Boxing Day Service at 12pm on Thursday 26 December. This service is free to attend.
Good Friday Service at 3pm on Friday 18 April 2025. This service is free to attend.
East side abbey remains
From the cellarium you can see the remains of the cloister, the refectory and the muniment room. And don't miss the huge fireplace in the warming room. As you wander through to the east side of the abbey, be sure to visit the ruins of the infirmary, built over the river itself.
There were even prison cells here. You can find them under the remains of the two-storey abbot’s house. The words ‘Vale libertas’ ['Farewell freedom'] were once inscribed on the stonework and there's still an iron ring in the floor, which was used to keep prisoners chained up.
We're famous for the abbey ruins but find out what other buildings you can visit
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Abbey tour
Join one of our volunteer tour guides to discover more about the largest monastic ruins in the country.
Garden and abbey tour
Join one of our volunteer tour guides to see the abbey as the Georgians once did; incorporated into the dramatic designed landscape.