Furness Abbey, South West Cumbria, UK. Photograph taken by a family member of Mikef.

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Furness Abbey, also known as St Mary of Furness, is a Cistercian monastery situated in the Furness region of Cumbria in the 'Valley of the Deadly Nightshae'. It was founded by Stephen, Count of Blois in 1123 who built it for the 'Order of Savigny.' It is built entirely of local sandstone.

The Abbey went to the Cistercian and they gradually enlarged and rebuilt the church. It was completed remodeled in the fifteenth century and it became the second richest, most powerful. amd grandest Cistercian Abbey in the United Kingdom. The Fountains Abbey ranks first.

The monks of the abbey were large landowners, and the most powerful body in what was then a remote border territory. They were heavily influential on the Isle of Man. The abbey was 50 miles down the coast from Scotland and the monks sometimes found themsleves between the warring Scots and English. The abbot payed for Robert the Bruce to lodge there and they supported him in order to insure the wealth and power of the abbey.

The Castle now lies in ruin.

SOURCES:

Wikipedia.com

Catholic Encyclopedia

Submitted by Robby Robinson