The Abbot’s Porch, Cerne Abbas

After his six wives, Henry VIII may be best known for shutting down the monasteries in around 1540 and pinching their land. It changed social life in England and the landscape, as many of the monastic buildings were knocked down or left to decay. This was the fate of Cerne Abbey, but some buildings did survive, including the Gatehouse (now a private residence), the Guest House and, above all, the Abbot’s Porch.

This three-storey tower, built 600 years ago, formed an entrance to the main monastic buildings, whose legacy is the humps and hollows in the field beyond. Its most striking feature is the oriel window stretching the depth of the top two storeys; these formed the abbot’s living quarters.

Nearest post code: DT2 7JQ
OS reference: ST665014
What3words: dives.myself.forehand
The Abbot’s Porch is on private land but is normally accessible in return for a donation