Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Puglia Italy - Matera
Italy • 8 days, 7 nights
Southern Italy: Castles, Caves & Coastal Treasures in Puglia
from
Turkmenistan Gates of Hell Darvaza crater
Turkmenistan • 10 days, 9 nights
Turkmenistan & the Gates of Hell
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Pinal Airpark
Note the chrysanthemum crests.
Hachiman Bridge
Clarendon War Memorial.
Clarendon War Memorial
This fried chicken is one of Bangkok’s most famous.
Gai Tord Jae Kee
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
Peter Vazquez has been quietly making a name for himself for years.
The Appetite Repair Shop
Ōmori Nori Vending Machine
Parkway Bakery and Tavern has been slinging these sandwiches since 1929.
Parkway Bakery and Tavern
Parkside Plum Juice
Dishes at Aksorn are grounded in deep historical research.
Aksorn
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Haleakalā National Park’s summit region, shrouded in the pre-dawn fog.
Beware the Legends Behind These National Park Souvenirs
7 days ago
For Aguilar-Carrasco, nature is a powerful reminder of the interconnectedness of all life.
How Can National Parks Be Made Accessible to All? AO Wants to Know.
8 days ago
Podcast: Finding ‘The Great Gatsby’ in Louisville
9 days ago
Here’s which treats you can safely lug home without risking a fine.
Dear Atlas: What International Food Can I Legally Bring Into the U.S.?
10 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United Kingdom England Nottinghamshire Rufford Abbey

Rufford Abbey

The undercroft is a spectacular example of medieval Cistercian architecture.

Nottinghamshire, England

Added By
Alan Newman
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
The amazingly well-preserved undercroft.   Dave Hitchborne/cc by-sa 2.0
The amazingly well-preserved undercroft.   Dave Hitchborne/cc by-sa 2.0
The undercroft of the monastic part of the building.   Dr Alan P Newman / Atlas Obscura User
Rufford Abbey.   Dr Alan P Newman / Atlas Obscura User
Rufford Abbey.   Dr Alan P Newman / Atlas Obscura User
Cedar tree said to have been planted by Charles II in the 17th century.   Dr Alan P Newman / Atlas Obscura User
One of two remaining 18th-century ice houses.   Dr Alan P Newman / Atlas Obscura User
One of the grotesque carvings inside the derelict West cloister ground floor.   Dr Alan P Newman / Atlas Obscura User
The undercroft   Dr Alan P Newman / Atlas Obscura User
Part of the exterior wall of the old bath house.   Dr Alan P Newman / Atlas Obscura User
In the undercroft   Dr Alan P Newman / Atlas Obscura User
Information board about the estate’s use during the two World Wars.   Dr Alan P Newman / Atlas Obscura User
Information board about the several ghosts of Rufford Abbey.   Dr Alan P Newman / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

One of the best preserved examples of Cistercian architecture in the United Kingdom lies below the ruins of a 17th-century mansion. The building was originally a Cistercian monastery founded in 1146, and was one of the first institutions suppressed by Henry VIII 's dissolution of the monasteries.

The undercroft of the old abbey is exquisite. It somehow managed to survive hundreds of years in remarkable shape, despite the fact that much of the abbey was demolished when the building was converted into a country mansion by the 4th Earl of Shrewsbury.

Descending into the medieval basement gives visitors a glimpse of a past otherwise lost beneath a lavish mansion, as the house was further modified in the 18th and 19th centuries, becoming more and more opulent. A large lake was constructed on the estate, which was used to harvest ice during the winter. Ice was stored in five ice houses, two of which still stand today.

The surrounding parkland became a local jewel, and remains so to this day. Within the grounds is an old cedar tree, reputedly planted by King Charles II to commemorate his father, Charles I. The tree was cut off near the top in memory of Charles I's execution, and every year it is trimmed back on the November 19, the birthday of the beheaded king.

After being used by the British Army during both World Wars, the house and estate were taken over by the Nottinghamshire County Council, which demolished parts of the building as it became unsafe due to dry rot.

Locals and tourists looking for a leisurely outing aren’t the only ones to visit this historic place. According to an information board near the ruins of the monastic building, several ghosts are said to haunt the abbey. One is a giant monk left over from the dissolution, and another is the "White Lady," Lady Arbella Stuart who was once thought of as a potential heir to the throne after Elizabeth I and died as a prisoner in the Tower of London. The most disturbing ghost story is from the days when the house was still a residence. Several female visitors reported encountering a "clammy baby," which they sensed trying to snuggle up to them while they were in bed. The story is said to relate to a child who was murdered in the house.

Related Tags

Monasteries Christianity Estates Mansions Ghosts Medieval

Know Before You Go

The park is open every day except Christmas Day, and visiting both the park and abbey is free. The car park is open from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., though there's a fee of £3.50 between 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.

While exploring, look out for a wide range of modern sculpture and also the now-unroofed, remains of the orangery, which was converted to such use in the 19th century from a very rare 18th-century bathhouse. Remnants of its use as a bath house are still visible.

Community Contributors

Added By

Dr Alan P Newman

Edited By

okpkpkp, Ethan Nicholls, penguinito, Kerry Wolfe

  • okpkpkp
  • Ethan Nicholls
  • penguinito
  • Kerry Wolfe

Published

September 18, 2018

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://www.parkwoodoutdoors.co.uk/centre/rufford-abbey/activity/123/history
Rufford Abbey
Rufford Abbey Country Park
Nottinghamshire, England
United Kingdom
53.176404, -1.035601
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

The Oil Patch Warrior

Newark, England

miles away

Major Oak

Nottinghamshire, England

miles away

King John's Palace Ruins

Nottinghamshire, England

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Nottinghamshire

Nottinghamshire

England

Places 16
Stories 1

Nearby Places

The Oil Patch Warrior

Newark, England

miles away

Major Oak

Nottinghamshire, England

miles away

King John's Palace Ruins

Nottinghamshire, England

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Nottinghamshire

Nottinghamshire

England

Places 16
Stories 1

Related Places

  • Greifswald, Germany

    Eldena Abbey

    These crumbling monastery ruins inspired a master of German Romanticism.

  • Esgos, Spain

    Monasterio de San Pedro de Rocas

    An abandoned 6th-century monastery features a medieval map of the known world.

  • Ardchattan Priory

    Ardchattan, Scotland

    Ardchattan Priory

    A private home envelops the ruins of this 13th-century priory.

  • Cottanello, Italy

    Eremo di San Cataldo (Hermitage of Saint Cataldus)

    When occupying Nazi troops detonated a mine below, medieval frescoes were revealed in this small cliff-side hermitage.

  • Nottinghamshire, England

    Stew Pond at Newstead Abbey

    In this medieval fish bowl, the carp weren't pets.

  • The mosaics.

    Ravenna, Italy

    Arian Baptistry

    A medieval, mosaic-lined baptistry built by a heretical Christian sect.

  • The ruins of Craswall Priory.

    Craswall, England

    Craswall Priory

    Britain’s highest medieval monastery is a remote ruin nestled at the head of a valley 1,240 feet above the sea.

  • The abbey today.

    Barrow-in-Furness, England

    Furness Abbey

    What was once England's second-richest abbey is now a haunting ruin.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.