Abbey

Bath's superb abbey, in restrained Perpendicular style, stands on ground rich with religious history. Initially, in 676, a monastery was built here using stone from crumbled Roman buildings. Its little Saxon abbey was later to host the momentous crowning of Edgar, King of Wessex as the first king of all England. In 1090 the abbey was replaced by a massive Norman cathedral priory that dominated the city, but depletion and demoralisation of the monastic community led to the neglect of the priory and by 1499 it stood in ruins. A dream inspired Bishop Oliver King to rebuild, but in 1539 the role of the monastery was brought to an end by Henry VIII's dissolution, and construction of the abbey was curtailed before the nave had been given a roof. It was not until 1617 that work was at last completed on what is now the parish church of Bath, an abbey only by name.

Approaching the Abbey from Abbey Church Yeard	West front entrance

South view from York Street