The Abbey Ruins

Travelling through the green countryside, just north of the small Suffolk town of Leiston, the eye is drawn to some ancient ruins standing in the fields. The very observant passer-by might even notice a little brown sign pointing down a farm track, "Leiston Abbey".

Here it is: the most impressive monastic remains in Suffolk. There's no visitor centre, no gift shop and no entry charge. Just a few signs explaining the history of the buildings and, at the moment, numerous steel barriers keeping you away from places where falling masonry might addle the brains even more permanently than trying to understand the complex history of the site. Lets try and find our way around.

In 1363 the brothers moved here from their previous abbey, which was very near to what is now the RSPB reserve at Minsmere, where we'd been earlier in the day. These were the "White Canons" as they were generally known - which is just as well otherwise we'd have to refer to them as the Premonstratensians or the Order of Canons Regular of Prémontré.

Some of the carved stone was brought from the nearby old abbey, so this fourteenth-century edifice has features which you'd normally find in a Norman building. Despite their grand architecture the White Canons followed a life of strict austerity. Unlike the scandal and impropriety found in many religious houses hereabouts, Leiston Abbey seems to have stuck to its stringent rules.

The unvarying round of prayer and labour was brought to a sudden end when Henry VIII closed all the monasteries in 1534. The buildings here came under the control of the Duke of Suffolk. A farmhouse was built into a corner of the nave and many of the associated structures were used as barns and outbuildings.

The house was added to over the years. In 1928 it was all sold to become a religious retreat. Then in 1977 it was sold to the Pro Corda Trust, an organisation dedicated to education of young people through chamber music. It also provides opportunities for young people with additional needs such as those on the autistic spectrum. They still occupy part of the site today, with the ruins being looked after by the charity English Heritage.

We didn't hear any chamber music floating on the summer breezes, more's the pity, as we fumbled our way through the maze of tumbling walls.

I'm fairly certain that the great window shown above was part of the Refectory building where the monks gathered together for their meals, though by this time I'd decided to just enjoy the grandeur of the remains and try to picture what might have been here in the past.

At length we stumbled upon the brick gatehouse which, I think, is where we should have entered the site.

Even after the ravages of the centuries you can still make out some pretty nifty brickwork. In those distant days building in brick was more expensive than using stone, so this gatehouse was clearly designed to create a stunning first impression.

We wandered in the surrounding area, hoping to find a vantage point from where the scale of the whole place could be seen at a glance. It was a glorious afternoon so our ramblings were filled with birdsong and were very pleasurable, if ultimately fruitless.

This old barn, near where we parked, is just one of the buildings which has found a new purpose by allowing young folk to explore the beauties of music. We got in the car and set our course for home.

Our route soon took us down a minor road where I was able to jump out and grab just the kind of view that I'd been seeking.

Take care.