Basingwerk Abbey

A medieval religious centre that’s still a place of pilgrimage

Part of a network of Cistercian settlements that once dotted Wales, Basingwerk Abbey was founded in 1131 and extensively remodelled in the 13th century. Although in ruin, it still gives us an insight into the lives of the monks who called the place home. The oldest part of the abbey is the 12th-century chapter house, with remains of the benches where monks sat for daily readings. Next to it is the parlour, the only place where the usually silent monks were allowed to speak. The most impressive surviving room is the monks’ dining hall.

Basingwerk is still a significant religious site. It’s the start point for the North Wales Pilgrim’s Way, a long-distance walking route that stretches all the way to Bardsey, the ‘Island of 20,000 Saints’.