Dunkeswell Abbey guided tours

Join us for a one-hour guided tour of Dunkeswell Abbey, a monastic site nestled in a beautiful rural location in the Blackdown Hills National Landscape.

The Abbey was founded in 1201 by William Brewer as a colony of the mother house of Forde Abbey in Dorset. By the time of its dissolution in 1539, it had a substantial estate and was a major monastic house. Today, only the gatehouse and fragments of the west range survive.

During the tour, you’ll discover what Dunkeswell Abbey would have looked like when it was built and what life was like for the Cistercian monks who lived there.

The Holy Trinity Church, built in 1842 by the women of the Simcoe family on the site of the Abbey, will be open with its 13th century medieval floor tiles on view.

Tours will be at 11am, 1pm, and 3pm.

A pop-up community café selling tea and cake will be on-site, giving you more time to relax in this picturesque and peaceful setting in the Madford Valley. Please bring cash for payment.

Booking is essential due to very limited parking. If you intend to arrive on foot or by bike, please contact us as we might be able to accommodate you on a tour, even if all tickets have gone.

Please note there are no toilets on site.

Click here to book a tour.

More information about Dunkeswell Abbey.

This event is part of the Blackdown Hills National Landscape – Festival of Heritage 2024.