Egglestone Abbey

Egglestone Abbey presents the evocative ruins of a small Premonstratensian monastery, founded in the late 12th century. The remains occupy a picturesque location overlooking the the River Tees and include parts of living quarters and the church, with its still amazing east window dramatically framed against the sky. The monks that lived here were often short of money and the Scots wreaked havoc in the wake of the Battle of Bannockburn in 1315. An English army in turn caused considerable damage in 1346. The abbey was dissolved in 1540 and now it is a peaceful spot, barely hinting at its previous life.