One of the entrances to Anglesey Abbey, Cambridgeshire, June 2020
Anglesey Abbey started its life as a hospital, in the early 12th century, and was converted into an Augustinian priory about a century later. It acted as religious home to a small community of monks until Henry VIII and his Dissolution of the Monasteries brought it to an end in 1536. The priory was left to fall into disrepair, with materials removed and used for other buildings in the area.
The current house was built in the early 17th century, based on the remains of the priory, and it has gone through several changes of hands since then. All of those hands seemed to take good care, though in the mid 19th century, the owner demolished the surviving medieval outbuildings to make way for a new stable block.
What we have now is a charming Jacobean-style house, set in beautiful gardens, and looked after by the National Trust. The house is closed at the moment, but the gardens are open and they are well worth a visit (picnics welcome). Pop over to their website to check opening hours and book your slot (necessary in the post-lockdown days)
Copyright Debbie Smyth, 25 June 2020
Posted as part of Norm’s Doors
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Travel with Intent 
It’s gorgeous. I love Jacobean style.
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And this is a great example – with stunning gardens
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Those are beautiful. Oh the history of this place. It’s exactly the kind of things I love to visit when we travel. Hopefully again sometime soon… 🙂
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I hope so!
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Nice pad
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🙂
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Charming! And how luck we are that it’s been well looked after! 🙂
Thank you xx
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Yes, unusual. I will go back ti see more when the house is open
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Looking forward to that post 🙂
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I just popped over to visit you, Patricia. I loved the afrikaans post – and very glad you translated, even from English! My boss is South African so maybe I should try some of these on him. 🙂
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Ha ha 🙂 Glad you enjoyed it, Debbie. Have to be honest, my husband is Afrikaans so he helped a lot with that post 😉
But they are rather fun, isn’t it! Enjoy using them 😉
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Such a beautiful place — and these soft colors developed over time make my heart sing.
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I do love an old house with a bit of Royal history
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What a beauty! If only I could just “pop over.”
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Why Anglesey, as it’s in Cambridgeshire?
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Yes, it’s a confusing name! I don’t know why, but the hospital was dedicated to the Virgin Mary of Anglesey. And it became a Priory not an Abbey.
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Oh, interesting!
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