Rievaulx Abbey

Rievaulx was the first Cistercian abbey in the north, founded in 1132, and at its height was home to 650 men. The ruins of the great church, the refectory and the chapter house rise from the floor of the Rye valley, and there are few more peaceful places on a weekday morning.

English Heritage has a museum of finds and a cafe. The best approach is on foot from Helmsley along the first three miles of the Cleveland Way. Rievaulx Terrace, above the abbey, is a separate National Trust property with two 18th-century temples and framed views down onto the ruins.