A visit to Waverley Abbey near Farnham in Surrey will take you back 900 years, to a time when the site was home to a bustling monk community. Today the abbey lays in ruins in a meadow, but remains a popular attraction for history-lovers and families in Surrey.
Waverley Abbey is one of the most important religious sites in Britain. It is not far from where we life, so we stopped for a visit after a day out at the Rural Life Centre in Farnham. We have since been back to enjoy it at other times of day.
In our guide to Waverley Abbey, we share everything you need to know for your own visit, including practical information on how to get there, opening hours and where to eat.
Contents: click to jump to a section
The short walk to Waverley Abbey
From the car park, it’s a picturesque, riverside stroll to the abbey ruins. The walk is flat and takes less than 10 minutes.
Leading you along the River Wey, it’s a scenic route with open fields, grazing cows and a pretty river. Across the river you’ll be able to see Waverley Abbey House, an elegant building, now used as a Christian centre.
At the end of the path is a kissing gate which leads into the meadow, where you’ll find the ruins of Waverley Abbey.
You can take dogs, but they must be on a lead.
A brief history of Waverley Abbey
Waverley Abbey was built for Catholic monks over 900 years ago and was the first Cistercian abbey in England. Its founder was William Gifford, the Bishop of Winchester, .
Built in the 1130s, the monastery started as a simple building and was originally home to just twelve French monks and an abbot. Over time, the monk population grew significantly and the abbey became the site of a thriving community. It reached its heyday when 190 monks and lay-brothers resided at the monastery.
In the 13th century, flood damage from the River Wey ruined the original building, so they needed to build a new one. Significant reparation works resulted in a bigger, more impressive Waverley Abbey. Subsequently, the abbey continue to grow into the next century and the monks became an active, thriving community.
However, following King Henry VIII’s Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1536, the abbey was given to the King’s treasurer and later mostly demolished.
The ruins you see today at Waverley Abbey are from the grander, replacement building. As you approach the ruins, you’ll appreciate the significant size of the site.
A guide to Waverley Abbey
Today, English Heritage manage this historic attraction. Admission is free, so everyone can visit.
Now, don’t expect to find a Visitor Centre or staff at Waverley Abbey. It really is just abbey ruins in a meadow!
However, this just adds to the experience. If you go at the right time, there will be nobody here and you can imagine you discovered this historic treasure yourself. It’s an informal setting and visitors can wander at leisure around the historic site.
Information boards around the perimeter provide information about the abbey and what life used to be like here. However, the best way to visit Waverley Abbey is to download an audio guide from the Heritage Centre website.
The audio commentary provides a step-by-step guide to each room and what it was used for. Although Waverley Abbey is now in ruins, it’s clear to see the footprint of the former monastery. Some areas are still in good condition and you can visualise how the buildings were used at the time. Some of the highlights are the monks’ refectory and dormitory.
There may be adders in the long grass, so be careful where you are walking.
Other things to see at Waverley Abbey
Waverley Church
As well as the abbey ruins, you can see the ruins of the large abbey church, where the monks would go to pray.
The Waverley Abbey Yew
Another good reason to visit the ruins of Waverley Abbey is to see its award-winning ancient yew tree.
The Waverley Abbey Yew has recently been awarded the Woodland Trust’s Tree of the Year Award 2022. The magnificent old tree, with its multiple trunks, has been on the site for over 500 years. It has probably been growing since the dissolution of the monasteries in 1536.
It’s a spectacular tree, which looks amazing at sunrise, when the sun peeps over the top.
Dragon's Teeth
From the ruins of Waverley Abbey, take a short walk to the banks of the River Wey for a look at the Dragon’s Teeth.
Dragon’s Teeth are pyramid-shaped concrete blocks, built as anti-invasion defences to stop German tanks They were introduced in the 2nd World War, as part of an enormous defence line across the South of England.
The anti-invasion defences would have slowed the enemy down and protected London from any impending invasion. You can also see several pill boxes in the nearby fields, which would have been used for protection. Luckily, the defences were never used.
Practical information for your visit
Opening hours
As there’s no ticket office, you can visit at any time during daylight hours.
Getting to Waverley Abbey
Waverley Abbey is located 2 miles from the market town of Farnham in South East England. It’s only 10 miles from Surrey’s county town, Guildford.
By car
The easiest way to visit the abbey by car. The postcode for Waverley Abbey is GU9 8EP.
You can access it via the B3001 or junction 10 of M25. There is a a very small free car park by the entrance to Waverley Abbey House. Parking is free.
By train
Alternatively, if you are using public transport, the nearest train station to Waverley Abbey is Farnham.
Regular, direct trains run from London Waterloo to Farnham and take just over an hour. However, when you get to the station, it is two miles to the abbey. You could walk there, by following Waverley Lane, or take a taxi, which would take 5 minutes.
Eating near Waverley Abbey
Although you can’t buy any food on the site of Waverley Abbey, there are several nearby options for eating.
Visitors to Waverley Abbey can enjoy refreshments at the café in Waverley House, a Christian centre, just a short distance from the car park. They serve speciality coffee, cakes, and lunches. Afterwards, you can walk around the estate at Waverley House.
If you’re looking for a longer walk from Waverley Abbey, head to the pretty village of Tilford. The Barley Mow is a traditional, award-winning English pub overlooking the cricket green and serves great food. If you’re too early for the pub, stop at Little Latte, a coffee shop adjacent to the pub or Momi’s Pizza, the resident pizza shack.
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