Tintern Abbey


Tintern Abbey is named after its Welsh counterpart, from where its first monks hailed. The atmospheric remains of the abbey enjoy a lovely setting amid 40 hectares of woodland. Unusually for an abbey, it has a long history as a private residence. Following the dissolution of the monasteries in the early 16th century, Tintern was granted to Staffordshire nobleman Anthony Colclough, and his descendants continued to live here until 1959. The abbey is 11km north of Fethard-on-Sea, signposted off the R733.

William Marshal, Earl of Pembroke, founded the Cistercian abbey in the early 13th century after he nearly perished at sea and swore to establish a church if he made it ashore. The cloister walls, nave, crossing tower, chancel and south transept still stand tall, along with the conversions made by generations of Colcloughs to create a country residence out of a ruined abbey.

Walking trails wind into the surrounding woods, past lakes and streams and more crumbling ruins, including a small single cell church, to the beautiful, 200-year-old Colclough Walled Garden, which has been replanted and restored to its former glory.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Colclough Walled Garden

0.32 MILES

Walking trails lead 350m from Tintern Abbey to the beautiful, 200-year-old Colclough Walled Garden. It has been replanted and restored to its former glory…

2. Duncannon Fort

4.31 MILES

Star-shaped Duncannon Fort, just west of Duncannon village, was built in 1588 to stave off a feared attack by the Spanish Armada, and was later used by…

3. Ballyhack Castle

5.53 MILES

Pretty Ballyhack village is 5.5km northwest of Duncannon. It’s dominated by the 15th-century Ballyhack Castle, a Knights Hospitallers tower house…

4. Dunbrody Abbey

5.88 MILES

Beside the R733, 9km north of Duncannon, ruined Dunbrody Abbey is a remarkably intact Cistercian abbey founded by Strongbow in 1170 and completed in 1220…

5. Loftus Hall

6.86 MILES

Situated 3.5km northeast of Hook Head, this crumbling manor house gazes across Waterford Harbour to Dunmore East. Dating from the 1600s and rebuilt in the…

6. John F Kennedy Arboretum

7.07 MILES

This beautiful woodland park, dedicated to the memory of JFK, the late US president, has 4500 species of trees and shrubs spread across 252 hectares of…

7. Hook Lighthouse

8.74 MILES

On its southern tip, Hook Head is capped by the world's oldest working lighthouse, with a modern light flashing atop a 13th-century tower. Access is by…

8. Ballyteigue Burrow Nature Reserve

9.12 MILES

The beach and sand dunes of Ballyteigue Burrow Nature Reserve stretch for 9km northwest from Kilmore Quay, covering 227 hectares in all. It's the summer…