Newminster Abbey

Newminster Abbey was a Cistercian abbey in Northumberland in the north of England. The site is protected by Grade II listed building and Scheduled Ancient Monument statusRanulph de Merlay, lord of Morpeth, and his wife, Juliana, daughter of Gospatric II, Earl of Lothian, founded the abbey in 1137 and Saint Robert of Newminster from the Cistercian Fountains Abbey was appointed as the first abbot; he governed from 1138 to 1159. The year after its foundation, the abbey was burned in an attack by Scottish raiders. It was rebuilt in 1180. Although located near Morpeth, Northumberland, the abbey possessed lands extending to the Scottish border, and annually led sheep there to pasture during the summer months. After closure during the first wave of dissolution in 1537, the estate was leased by the Crown by the Grey family who used many of the stones for their own buildings. The estate including the site of the abbey was sold by the Crown to Robert Brandling in 1609, and was sold on by the Brandling family in 1709 to John Ord of Fenham.

Newminster Abbey was a Cistercian abbey in Northumberland in the north of England. The site is protected by Grade II listed building and Scheduled Ancient Monument statusRanulph de Merlay, lord of Morpeth, and his wife, Juliana, daughter of Gospatric II, Earl of Lothian, founded the abbey in 1137 and Saint Robert of Newminster from the Cistercian Fountains Abbey was appointed as the first abbot; he governed from 1138 to 1159. The year after its foundation, the abbey was burned in an attack by Scottish raiders. It was rebuilt in 1180. Although located near Morpeth, Northumberland, the abbey possessed lands extending to the Scottish border, and annually led sheep there to pasture during the summer months. After closure during the first wave of dissolution in 1537, the estate was leased by the Crown by the Grey family who used many of the stones for their own buildings. The estate including the site of the abbey was sold by the Crown to Robert Brandling in 1609, and was sold on by the Brandling family in 1709 to John Ord of Fenham.