| Furness Abbey
In 1537 the monastery was taken over by Henry VIII's forces and the Abbey was stripped of its many treasures as well as the lead from the roof and much of its stonework, leaving the ruins that remain to this day. Click
here for more details. |
Founded in 1127 as the Abbey of St. Mary, by the monks of Savigny,
Furness Abbey has a long and sometimes turbulent history. In 1147
the Savignac Order merged with the Cistercian Order and saw a period
of peace and prosperity until the early 1300's when the Low Furness
area was the target of raiding parties from Scotland. The Abbey
itself managed to buy itself protection, but the surrounding area
was sacked and pillaged.