Fountains Abbey Fountains Abbey Fountains Abbey is one of the largest and best preserved ruined Cistercian monasteries in England. It is located approximately south-west of Ripon in North Yorkshire, near to the village of Aldfield. Founded in 1132, the abbey operated for 407 years becoming one of the wealthiest monasteries in England until its dissolution in 1539 under the order of Henry VIII. The abbey is a Grade I listed building owned by the National Trust and part of the designated Studley Royal Park including the Ruins of Fountains Abbey UNESCO World Heritage Site. After a dispute and riot in 1132 at
Farewell Priory posed as Cistercian in the 12th century in order to secure the exemptions from [[tithe]]s enjoyed by Cistercian houses. This was contested by Augustinian [[Breedon Priory]], which had appropriated Breedon parish church and thus stood to lose tithes if Langley's claim was accepted. [[Pope Alexander III]] commissioned an investigation by the Cistercian [[abbot]] of [[Garendon Abbey]] and the Augustinian prior of [[St Mary's Abbey, Kenilworth|Kenilworth Priory]], which adjudicated in favour of the nuns. However, the nuns could not maintain their position for long and, in order to obtain exemption they were compelled in or about 1229 to hand over a