See how Buildwas Abbey Shropshire changed between 1779 and 2024. Drag the slider to compare the historic photograph with the modern view.
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## Buildwas Abbey
In 1135, Roger de Clinton, Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield, established Buildwas Abbey as a Savignac monastery on the banks of the River Severn. The abbey was dedicated to the Virgin Mary and St Chad. In 1147, it merged with the Cistercian order, becoming the Abbey of St Mary and St Chad. Under Abbot Ranulf (1155–1187), the abbey expanded its estates, acquiring properties in Staffordshire, Derbyshire, Flintshire, and Ireland. The monks utilized barges on the Severn to transport wool to Bristol for export. Despite its growth, the abbey faced challenges, including the murder of an abbot in 1342 and a raid by Welsh forces in 1406. During the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1536, Buildwas Abbey was suppressed. The site was granted to Edward Grey, 3rd Baron Grey of Powis, who converted the former abbot's lodging and infirmary into a private residence. Today, substantial remains of the abbey church and monastic buildings are preserved and managed by English Heritage. (english-heritage.org.uk)
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