Buildwas Abbey

The ruins of this Cistercian abbey, including much of its fine 12th-century church is located in a woodland setting beside the River Severn, not far from the Iron Bridge.

The abbey's location near the border of Wales resulted in it having a turbulent history. Welsh Princes and their followers would raid the abbey and on one occasion in 1406 raiders from Powys even kidnapped the abbot.

The Church remains rank among some of the best-preserved 12th century examples of a Cistercian church in Britain and a row of original Norman columns still remain, as imposing today as they would have looked during the middle ages.