Blanchland Abbey is one of the best preserved 13th century abbeys in the North of England. After England's King Henry VIII dissolved the monastery in 1532, the abbey passed via the Forsters of Bamburgh Castle to Lord Crewe, Bishop of Durham, who founded a charitable trust to maintain the abbey and its associated buildings, many of which are now let out for other uses, with the profits being used to support Church of England clergy and their community work throughout North-east England.
This medieval gatehouse is to be found at the entrance to the courtyard.
Inside the Courtyard
The gatehouse is now used as a Post Office.
Meanwhile the Monks' Lodge has become a hotel.
The courtyard is nowadays surrounded by residential properties and shops in keeping with the original character of the abbey's outbuildings.
A school was later developed just outside the abbey gates but has now
become a coffee shop
And now we will take a look at the L-shaped abbey church itself.
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