Abbeys, Cathedrals and Churches hold a particular fascination with me. And whilst I’m not religious, they are grand and majestic buildings that have to be revered for their beauty. They signify history and age as well as places of worship. Most peoples lives are touched by their presence, whether for a wedding, worship or for peace and sanctuary. One of the oldest churches in the country is the Chapel of St Peter-on-the-Wall and dates from the 7th century. Despite the Dissolution of the Monasteries between 1536 and 1541 by Henry VIII some Abbeys remain, albeit in a ruined state. Here in the north of England there are an abundance of ruined Abbeys. There is the world-renowned Whitby Abbey and it’s inspiration for Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Fountains Abbey, Kirkstall Abbey, Rievaulx Abbey, Jervaulx Abbey, and Bolton Abbey to name but a few.

The Gothic Architecture is beautiful and the techniques employed by people nearly a thousand years ago to construct such edifices is staggering. The details produced in stone using nothing more than chisels is a testament to the hard work, dedication and the demands of hierarchy. Wooden cranes were hoisted to great heights by nothing more than man or animal power and the humble rope and pulley. People risked their lives continually to build and many lost limbs.

The beauty did not stop here with the structure. Amazing hand written books with incredible illuminated texts, often written in dim light were painstakingly produced in monastic scriptoriums. Books and works that ultimately lead to the education of the masses and the creation of universities.

Even in their ruined state Abbeys and Monasteries are magnificent structures. They are certainly photogenic and will always be a boundless source of inspiration for me and for many others.

On bright sunny days strong shadows are cast that define the structures in unique and ever-changing ways, just like the light that dances on still water. These photographs of Whitby Abbey display shadows that rake across the ruin’s landscape. They seem to tell new stories about the buildings. Walls appear in different places throughout the day like a living structure moving over the land.

It’s not just their size that impresses. Eroded stone form crevices that capture the light or hides life within the depths. And texture that creates interesting surfaces, surfaces not devoid of character, but which tell a story of age and time. Plants and animals have taken up new abode within the exposed gaps and holes. They add colour and visual appeal reasserts the history of these buildings.

Pictorially linear lines show scale and are delineated by arches and buttresses, doorways and windows. Corridors create perspective and height determine size, none of which is exaggerated in the slightest. These structures are imposing, and for what ever their use, demand respect.

Like doorways to another time there are often surprises around the corner. From a wooden door with elaborate ironwork, at Bolton Abbey, to stone carvings that have stood the test of time. A well trodden doorstep shows centuries of use by thousands of people. People from the original priests to the visitors of modern times.

And yet there is an even more personal tale to tell of these giants of religion. The people whose lives were once associated around their places of worship are now interned within the very grounds of the buildings. Their gravestones stand as statements of their beliefs. These too define the landscape in which they rest.

Though size and grandeur of our Abbeys and Cathedrals played an important part in worshiping God it is a simple cross that serves as a reminder of the story of Jesus.

I hope you have been inspired to visit at least some of the UK’s most important historic sites, and in particular the ruined Abbeys of Britain.