Rufford Abbey

Rufford Abbey was founded around 1147 by Gilbert de Gant, then Earl of Lincoln. The first convent of Cistercian monks came from Rievaulx Abbey in Yorkshire. In the early 14th century, the monastery experienced a period of prosperity, but by the beginning of the 15th century, it had become impoverished. In 1536, Rufford Abbey was dissolved during the suppression of monasteries in England, having been classified as a smaller monastery. The last abbot, Thomas Doncaster, received a severance payment.