Medieval Ruins in Britain and France

Rievaulx was once a magnificent abbey (monastery) belonging to the Cistercian order, which advocated that monks lead a very austere life. Rievaulx was one of the most powerful monasteries in Britain, with a community of more than 650 under its famous abbot, Aelred.

Just to the right are remains of the nave (main aisle) of the Abbey church, while the three-story sanctuary in front of us survived more intact. Built to create a splendid setting for Aelred’s tomb, it gives us a sense of the original magnificence of Rievaulx.

This part of the church—the sanctuary—was used primarily by the monks. Unlike most churches, Rievaulx was not built on an east-west axis (with the sanctuary at the east end). Instead it is on a north-south axis due to the site.

If we look west, we see the doorway to the church. We are standing in the nave - the large, central space of the church (with one aisle on either side).

Likely this was a spare space, since the monastery was part of the Cistercian order which rejected decoration in churches. The nave is the oldest part of the church, and we can see that from the use of round arches.

We are looking to the east end, where the altar once stood. We can see the transition to pointed (Gothic) arches (round arches are characteristic of the earlier, Romanesque, style). The large arch at the end once held a window.

Goodrich Castle is an extraordinary example of English military architecture. It combined living spaces with extensive defences—including a ditch around two sides, a drawbridge and portcullises (iron gates that could be raised or lowered).

The castle has a square plan with massive towers at three corners and a gatehouse on the fourth. We are standing on the semi-circular barbican in front of the gatehouse—a fortified outpost that provided extra defense by increasing the number of barriers an enemy would have to cross.

Modern visitors are enjoying the view from the gatehouse. To the far left we see a tower with a square base and a cylindrical tower. It was clearly unwise to approach this castle unless you were a welcome visitor!

The castle is actually a complex of buildings that includes a keep (a large fortified tower), royal apartments, gardens, and a church—all located on hilltop and surrounded by a wall.

Like Chinon, the castle was held by the English King Henry II, who strengthened its fortifications. It later passed to French monarchs, and became a favorite residence.

The tall, rectangular keep (today empty) was originally entered through a drawbridge. It had three floors and its walls are nearly 9 feet thick with tiny windows. Other buildings were built later around this main tower, strengthening its defensive role.