The Haslemere Society is planning a visit to the ruins of Waverley Abbey on Wednesday 25th September. There will be no charge for this event for members (guests £10) with attendees asked to make their own way or lift share. An excellent lunch at the café in the adjacent Palladian Mansion can be ordered before the tour at members' own expense.

The tour will start at 11am.

After a short introduction to The Cistercian Order and the history of the  Order, society members and friends will tour the Abbey grounds before returning for lunch for those who wish to eat.

Waverley & The Cistercians in England

The Cistercians played a pivotal role in the development of English culture and the economy in the 12th Century.

Founded in the 11th Century at Cîteaux Abbey in France with the objective of more closely following the original Rule of St Benedict the order expanded rapidly in the 12th Century under the leadership of Bernard of Clairvaux. Although less well known than Fountains Abbey or Rievaulx in Yorkshire, Waverley was the first Cistercian abbey in England, being founded by William Giffard, Bishop of Winchester, one of the most powerful magnates in the country, in 1128. It became the mother house for several other abbeys as the Order expanded. The Abbey is in a glorious location, nestling in an escarpment banked bend of the River Wey.

As a measure of its significance, 7500 people attended the consecration of the abbey. The immense scale of the abbey can still be appreciated with a little imagination.
The Abbey was suppressed in 1536 as part of the dissolution of the monasteries and many of the stones carted off for use in other important buildings in the area.

If you would like to join us, please fill out the simple form which can be accessed here, and which includes information on how to pay for any non member guests.