It is a Grade 1 listed building and until recently there was an admission charge to the abbey, but now visitors can enter free of charge until the gate is locked at dusk.There are very extensive remains of a 13th century abbey, founded on the site of a retired pirate's hermitage. Part of it later served as a holiday retreat for the monks of Durham Cathedral. There are many excellent examples of heavily decorated capitals on the original arcade columns, tracery in the filled-in nave arches of the church, and on the south wall is a double piscina and two carved seats of the sedilia. The buildings and immediate grounds are now managed by English Heritage, with the surrounds converted into Finchale Abbey Caravan Park - an award-winning eco village project set up to sustainably manage development in the area.
It was here that St. Godric settled in the 12th century, building a hermitage on a site which was to become his home for many years.
After Godric's death in 1170 at the age of 105, the Durham Monks set about building a shrine to the saint, the results of which can still be seen today in the substantial surviving priory buildings. St Godric's tomb still lies beneath the priory church and is marked by a simple stone cross. Today however, the tomb lies empty, his remains having mysteriously vanished many centuries ago since when there has been much speculation about his final resting place.Upon entering the latched gate you are confronted by the east facing remains thatit at the top of an incline which overlooks the river. A large bed of dafodils bloom in springtime, offering an ideal picture postcard scene of Finchale Abbey and its grounds. The many doorways take you on a tour of the remains, but tread carefully when you're climbing the ruins as these are a liability at the best of times. Photography of the Abbey was quite tricky during my visit, especially as the sun was very bright, so balancing exposure between shadows and sunlit stonework needed the aid of Neutral Density filters. Carrying a set of three filters of different calibrations, I was equipped with everything I needed for the challenge ahead. Photographing a ruined abbey can only keep you occupied for a certain amount of time. Capturing every path, wall and doorway can easily result in overkill so I set myself a limited target of 25 shots for my Finchale Abbey slideshow, to keep the viewer interested.
I was at Finchale Abbey for approximately 45 minutes, yet I never passed another visitor in all that time - quite odd considering the nice weather conditions. Dog walkers were staggered along the river bank on the north side as I headed back across the wooden bridge. It was from here that I made the short journey through Cocken Wood and up the steep embankment to my car. I was ready for a sit down once I reached the top - I was bloody knackered!
And that's all for now folks. Coming soon - more photo's of historical interest from my recent visit to Warkworth Castle in Northumberland. Thanks for visiting.
Ash
