Kirkstall Abbey
📍 KirkstallWest Yorkshire
Striking ruins of a Cistercian abbey founded around 1152, beside the River Aire in Leeds.
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What’s free
Entry to the abbey ruins is by voluntary donation (suggested £5), with no fixed charge
About
Kirkstall Abbey is one of the best preserved Cistercian abbeys in the country, founded around 1152 as a daughter house of Fountains Abbey. You can wander through the church, cloister, chapter house and refectory, and the setting has been painted by artists including J. M. W. Turner. Entry is now on a Give What You Can basis, so you can visit without paying a fixed price.
Opening times
- Tue to Sun 10am to 4.30pm (Apr to Sep), 10am to 4pm (Oct to Mar). Closed Mondays except bank holidays
Times can change, so check with the venue before a special trip.
Good to know
Costs to know about: Free car park on Abbey Walk. Suggested donation £5 per person
Still free?
Checked by our editors on 13 Oct 2026.
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