Whalley Abbey Houses

Standing on the banks of the River Calder, Whalley Abbey has been a focal point for hospitality since the fourteenth century. It began its history as a community of Cistercian monks. The ruins that still stand in the grounds today remind visitors of St. Benedict's rule to receive strangers as if they were Christ himself.

The Abbey has belonged to the Diocese of Blackburn since 1926; the Retreat and Conference House re-opened in September 2005 after eight months' refurbishment with the aim of providing high quality hospitality to meet the requirements of the twenty-first century and establishing a clear new identity for its future.

The Cistercian Abbey of Stanlow, in Cheshire, moved to Whalley in 1296. The Church was built from 1330 to 1380, but the Abbot's Lodging and Infirmary was not completed until c.1440.

At the dissolution of the Monastery in 1537, the property passed into private hands, and Ralph Assheton adapted it to make an Elizabethan Manor House. It remained a private residence until 1923, when the Church of England acquired possession.

The Visitor Centre is open daily from 10.00am to 5.00pm (4.30pm in Winter) to the general public.

Within the Visitor Centre is an Exhibition of the development of the Abbey and the life of the community of monks who lived here, along with its post-dissolution history. The exhibition includes a remarkable model constructed by Canon Geoffrey Ainsworth Williams of how the Abbey would probably have appeared in 1520.

Cloisters Coffee Shop, also housed in the Centre, has long had a good name for its home-made soups and cakes, lunches, and the friendly service given to its many customers. The Coffee Shop can be telephoned directly on 01254 828404 for larger groups to book in advance for lunch or afternoon tea. Cyclists and walkers are very welcome, and we don't mind muddy boots!