Whalley Abbey
WHALLEY ABBEY
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- I
- List Entry Number:
- 1164643
- Date first listed:
- 13-Feb-1967
- List Entry Name:
- Whalley Abbey
- Statutory Address:
- WHALLEY ABBEY
Location
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- I
- List Entry Number:
- 1164643
- Date first listed:
- 13-Feb-1967
- List Entry Name:
- Whalley Abbey
- Statutory Address 1:
- WHALLEY ABBEY
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
Location
- Statutory Address:
- WHALLEY ABBEY
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- County:
- Lancashire
- District:
- Ribble Valley (District Authority)
- Parish:
- Whalley
- National Grid Reference:
- SD 73066 36036, SD 73138 36100
Details
SD 73 NW
2/51
13-2-1967
WHALLEY
Whalley Abbey
GV
I
Cistercian monastery. West range of cloister now used as Roman Catholic
church hall. Assheton mansion now a conference centre. Building work begun
c.1320. Abbey church begun in 1330 and finished in 1380. East range of
cloister late Cl4. Infirmary and Abbot's lodgings complete by 1440s. In
1480 the north-east gateway was built, and the Abbey was dissolved in
1537. The site was bought by the Assheton family, who subsequently
converted parts of the Abbot's house and Infirmary into a residence, which
was complete by c.1680. This house was restored and extended in the mid
C19. In the 1930s the site was excavated and the foundations discovered
were exposed and consolidated. Only the foundations of the church remain.
The west range of the closter is of a full 2 storeys and is roofed. The
south wall of the cloister is incomplete but includes a lavatory with
moulded arch. The east range is more complete and includes a doorway with
a fleuron order leading into the chapter house vestibule. At the south end
of this range is the rere-dorter, with the drain passing through pointed
arches. Between the east claustral buildings and the Assheton mansion the
foundations of the chapter house and part of the Abbot's Lodgings are
exposed. The southern part of the west wing of the mansion is now
roofless. It contained Assheton's long gallery on the 1st floor and
incorporates part of the Abbot's kitchen. The north-west wing of the
mansion is C19. The entrance to the house is through a 1st floor porch
reached by a flight of stone steps. Inside, the mansion has a
deeply-moulded pointed arch on the ground floor, a window of 2 trefoiled
lights now in an internal wall, and large deeply-chamfered joists
supporting the floor of the hall on the 1st floor above. This hall has a
stone fireplace with segmental arch, with a C19 fireplace within. The roof
is of c.1500 with king posts rising from high collars with moulded arch
braces. Between the purlins and principals are carved triangular braces.
On the north-east side of the mansion is a courtyard enclosed by stone
walls, with single-storey C17 buildings on the east and north sides. The
north-east gateway is of 2 storeys and has an embattled parapet and
diagonal buttresses. The arches are pointed and moulded. The north part of
the interior has a tunnel vault which appears to be of post-Reformation
date. Ashmore, O., A Guide to Whalley Abbey, 4th ed. 1981. Scheduled
Ancient Monument.
Listing NGR: SD7310436136
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 183536
- Legacy System:
- LBS
Sources
Books and journals
Ashmore, O, A Guide to Whalley Abbey, (1981)
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 06-Jun-2026 at 11:03:13.
Download a full scale map (PDF)End of official list entry
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