Kirkstall Abbey
KIRKSTALL ABBEY, ABBEY ROAD
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- I
- List Entry Number:
- 1256668
- Date first listed:
- 26-Sept-1963
- List Entry Name:
- Kirkstall Abbey
- Statutory Address:
- KIRKSTALL ABBEY, ABBEY ROAD
Location
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Images of England Project
- Date:
- 2005-09-28
- Reference:
- IOE01/14089/07
- Rights:
- © Mr Neil Holliday. Source: Historic England Archive
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- I
- List Entry Number:
- 1256668
- Date first listed:
- 26-Sept-1963
- List Entry Name:
- Kirkstall Abbey
- Statutory Address 1:
- KIRKSTALL ABBEY, ABBEY ROAD
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:
- KIRKSTALL ABBEY, ABBEY ROAD
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- District:
- Leeds (Metropolitan Authority)
- Parish:
- Non Civil Parish
- National Grid Reference:
- SE 25977 36085
Details
LEEDS
SE2536 ABBEY ROAD, Kirkstall 714-1/18/888 (South side) 26/09/63 Kirkstall Abbey
GV I
Ruins of Cistercian Abbey. Founded 1152. Built of millstone grit. The church is almost complete, with stone vaulted transept chapels and rib-vaulted chancel and nave aisles, nave and transepts are roofless. Pointed arch arcade, clerestory wall without shafts. Remains of tall crossing tower, heightened C16. Gabled west portal of 5 orders. North doorway with large crenellation motif round the arch. Buildings on all sides of cloister garth, including chapter house with vaulting on E; kitchens, brewhouse, warming house and refectory on S; to NE remains of infirmary, abbot's lodgings. HISTORICAL NOTE: the abbey was founded by monks from Fountains and the primary building work was completed by 1182. A substantial proportion of this work survives, together with the well-preserved Abbot's Lodging of the C13. Many of the buildings were reduced to foundation level after the Dissolution and by the later C18 the Abbey was regarded as one of the finest picturesque sites in the English landscape. Ralph Thoresby examined floor tiles and coffins at the Abbey in the early C18 and during the C19 the Earls of Cardigan employed custodians who cleared the rubble from various buildings. The Abbey was bought by the City of Leeds in the 1890s and after consolidation of the walls the site was laid out as a public park. Archaeological excavations were carried out between 1950 and 1964 and in 1979 the West Yorkshire Archaeology Unit began a series of excavations. The chancel was roofed over to protect the vaulting in 1992. Scheduled Ancient Monument. (Yorkshire Archaeology, West Yorkshire Archaeology Service: Moorhouse, S & Wrathmell, S: Kirkstall Abbey: Wakefield: 1987-).
Listing NGR: SE2599536087
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 464653
- Legacy System:
- LBS
Sources
Books and journals
Moorhouse, S, Wrathmell, S, West Yorkshire Archaeology Service in Kirkstall Abbey, (1987)
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 04-Jun-2026 at 06:13:39.
Download a full scale map (PDF)© Crown copyright [and database rights] 2026. OS AC0000815036. All rights reserved. Ordnance Survey Licence number 100024900.© British Crown and SeaZone Solutions Limited 2026. All rights reserved. Licence number 102006.006.
End of official list entry