Ramsey Abbey is a ruined abbey, near Ramsey, Cambridgeshire, south east of Peterborough and north of Huntingdon.

History

It was founded and endowed in 969 by Athelwold, Bishop of Winchester in the mid-10th century monastic revival (when Ely and Peterborough were also refounded). It paid 4000 eels yearly in Lent to Peterborough Abbey for access to their quarries of Barnack limestone. The abbey prospered until the Dissolution of the Monasteries. Stone from the abbey was used to build Caius College, Cambridge, King's College, Cambridge and Trinity College, Cambridge.

Remains

Today, what remains of the abbey forms part of the Abbey School.^[1] The Abbey Gatehouse (a National Trust property), the Almshouses, and the parish church can still be seen.

References

1. ^ The Ramsey Abbey School has recently amalgamated with the adjacent Ailwyn School. A new establishment "The Abbey College, Ramsey" will be operational from September 2006, leaving the previous two names defunct.