Rievaulx Abbey ree-VOH was a Cistercian abbey in Rievaulx, situated near Helmsley in the North York Moors National Park, North Yorkshire, England. It was one of the great abbeys in England until it was seized under Henry VIII of England in 1538 during the dissolution of the monasteries. The wider site was awarded Scheduled Ancient Monument status in 1915 and the abbey was brought into the care of the Ministry of Works in 1917. The striking ruins of its main buildings are a tourist attraction, owned and maintained by English Heritage.