Tintern Abbey

Tintern Abbey was originally founded by Cistercian monks in 1131 AD. in the reign of Henry I. Between 1270 and 1301 the Abbey was rebuilt and by the end of the rebuilding, around four hundred monks lived in the complex. The Black Death arrived in 1349 and affected Abbey life badly but it continued to operate until 1536. In that year the Abbey was part of the dissolution of the monasteries under Henry VIII. Within a few years the lead was stripped from the roof and the building began to decay. The Abbey then became a source of building stone and only in the eighteenth century was any interest shown in the ruin. Around 1760 the site was cleaned up and visitors to the Wye Valley began to be entranced with the beauty of the site and surroundings. Turner was the best known artist to visit Tintern at the end of that century along with the poet Wordsworth. His poem Lines composed a few miles above Tintern Abbey became a standard text for English students throughout the English speaking world.

The ruins of Tintern Abbey lie between the River Wye and the A466 road at the southern end of Tintern village. The site is beautiful, with the tidal river frequently changing from a very low flow during Summer low tides to a raging torrent when Winter flo