Lesnes Abbey: A Guide to the Historic Ruins at Abbey Wood

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The ruins of Lesnes Abbey at Abbey Wood are one of London’s most interesting and beautiful hidden treasures. Steeped in history and surrounded by an ancient woodland they are a great place to visit for anyone wishing to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city and escape to somewhere that feels like you have stumbled on a long forgotten place.

Dating back to the great period of monastic building by the Normans, the abbey was a major site of worship and pilgrimage for almost 400 years from the late twelfth century. As one of the key stops on the Pilgrim's Way, it had many visitors and a chapel that was renowned for miracles and home to relics of Saint Thomas a Becket. It was one of the very first monasteries to be closed by the state, and not by Henry VIII.

The abbey struggled to be successful as its lands which stretched from the woods to the river Thames were marsh and frequently flooded when the river walls breached, costing it a small fortune to repair which it had to borrow. Unfortunately the abbot was not always the upstanding pillar of virtue you might have expected, and it fell foul of the law on several occasions.

Today you can wander around the ruins and walk through the woods which in spring have a spectacular display of wild daffodils and bluebells. You can even walk the old Pilgrim’s Way from the pier at Erith and there is a guide to this included.

This book helps bring the ruins back to life by telling the story of what happened within these ruined walls that were built over 800 year ago. It explains what each of the different parts of the building were used for and tells you about the daily lives of the canon. It gives an insight into how religion was treated very differently to today, and how hard life was for common people.

With this book you can explore and understand the significance of the ruins, but hopefully what you will also feel is a connection to what these ruins once were.

Kings, murder, intrigue, inheritance and corruption all contribute to a fascinating tale.