Name: Cleeve Abbey
Rating: 5.0

Cleeve Abbey

Abbey Mill House, Abbey Road, Washford, Watchet, Somerset TA23 0PS, UK

1-99 Years

Paid

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Description

At Cleeve Abbey you’ll find the most complete and unaltered set of monastic cloister buildings in England, standing roofed and two storeys high. Visit, and you can explore the gatehouse, the refectory with its glorious angel roof, and an unusual ‘painted chamber’.

Cleeve’s greatest glory is the magnificent, tiled floor of its earliest refectory, dating from around 1270. Thanks to a recent English Heritage project <link>, you can admire it within a purpose-built timber shelter, with seating and viewing platforms. An exhibition and touchscreen virtual tour tell the story of abbey life. There are also interactive ‘story bags’ to help families explore.

Price starts from £6.50 for Adults, £3.50 for Children(5-17 years) and £10.00 Family (1 adult, up to 3 children). If you are looking for Best place for day out with kids and families then this is the perfect destination offering fun, adventure, and unforgettable memories for everyone.

Features

Paid
Host birthday parties: No

Features

Explore the Cloister: Today the Cloister is still enclosed on all four sides. The monks would have spent much of their time here. Look for the rare trefoil headed arched recess which marked the abbot's seat for the daily spiritual reading.
Enter the Refectory: Originally the dining hall for the monks, the spacious Refectory room at Cleeve has a magnificent carved oak roof. See if you can spot the angels holding shields on the corbels (or brackets), supporting the main trusses (the roof’s framework).
See the monastic Dormitory: One of the finest existing monastic dormitories left in Britain, the dormitory at Cleeve is a single open room where the monks slept. At one end is the entrance to the night stairs; at the other is the doorway to the loo. You can sit on the window seat with its decorative tiles and look out at the roof which dates from the 17th or 18th century.
Discover the Chapter House: The Chapter House was the place monks met each day to discuss business. You can still see evidence of its use in the lead socket on the wall for a reading lantern.
Spot lions, dragons and monks: Look through the protective hatchway into the Painted Chamber at Cleeve Abbey, and you can see a large, late 15th-century wall painting on the left-hand wall depicting the story of a man crossing a bridge from the Gesta Romanorum. Can you see the lion and horned dragon?
Discover magical creatures: Looking for an adventure with your little ones? Uncover English folklore with our Folktale Creature Trails, where children can discover magical creatures from English myths and legends.
Have some fun: In the Education Room, young visitors can try tile stamping to make their own tile patterns. Youngsters can also dress up in monks' robes – a perfect photo opportunity.
Pick up a good book: Looking for your next page turner? Or perhaps you have a few books that you'd like to donate? Stop by Cleeve Abbey’s secondhand bookshop within the Abbey buildings.
Gardens: There is a grassed area completely surrounding the Abbey buildings, which varies in size but extends at least 100 metres to the perimeter fence. Please note: There are horses in the field adjacent to the Abbey. Visitors are asked not to feed the horses.
Exhibition: On the ground floor (wheelchair access via ramp) there’s a small exhibition about the history of the Abbey and monastic life. On the first floor (no wheelchair access) you can learn about historic wall-paintings, and how the encaustic tiles present at the Abbey were made.

Facilities

Parking: There’s free parking at Cleeve Abbey, just 220m from the admission point.
Food And Drink: There is a vending machine selling hot drinks. The on-site shop also sells a selection of snacks including cold drinks, confectionery and ice-cream.
Toilets: There are separate male, female and disabled toilets, including baby changing facilities located on the main site.
Dogs: Dogs on leads are welcome in the grounds only. Assistance dogs welcome across the site.

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Price

Price: Paid

Price Details

Advance online tickets:

Adult: £6.50 With donation & £5.90 Without donation.
Child (5–17 years): £3.50 With donation & £3.10 Without donation.
Family (2 adults, up to 3 children): £16.50 With donation & £14.90 Without donation.
Family (1 adult, up to 3 children): £10.00 With donation & £9.00 Without donation.
Concession: £5.50 With donation & £5.00 Without donation.
Members: Free.

On the day tickets:

Adult: £8.00 With donation & £7.20 Without donation.
Child (5–17 years): £4.50 With donation & £4.00 Without donation.
Family (2 adults, up to 3 children): £20.50 With donation & £18.40 Without donation.
Family (1 adult, up to 3 children): £12.50 With donation & £11.20 Without donation.
Concession: £6.50 With donation & £5.90 Without donation.
Members: Free.

Pricing URL: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/cleeve-abbey/prices-and-opening-times/

Birthday Parties

Offer Birthday Parties: No

Open Wed - Sun: 10am - 5pm (last entry at 4.30pm)

Address: Abbey Mill House, Abbey Road, Washford, Watchet, Somerset TA23 0PS, UK

Post Code: TA23 0PS

Council: Somerset

County: Somerset

Road Access: Cleeve Abbey is in Washford, ¼ mile south of the A39.
Bus Access: First 28 & Webber 18.
Train Access: Travel on the West Somerset Steam Railway to Washford. It’s a short walk from the station to the abbey. Ask about the discount offer for abbey visitors on the railway.
Bicycle Access: Find your cycling route to Cleeve Abbey at sustrans.org.uk, the National Cycle Network.
Parking: There’s free parking at Cleeve Abbey, just 220m from the admission point.