History

How Abbeys Shaped Medieval Towns: A Local History Explainer

Medieval abbeys were employers, landlords and magnets for pilgrims, and their gates, markets and mills still shape the streets of many...

• September 28, 2026

Checklist: How to Research an Abbey's History Before Your Visit

A practical checklist for tracing an abbey's founding, dissolution and later life through charters, county histories, maps and record...

• September 27, 2026

Abbey vs Cathedral vs Priory: Key Differences Every Visitor Should Know

Abbots, bishops and priors each ran things differently — here is how to tell an abbey from a cathedral from a priory just by looking around.

• September 20, 2026