The tithe barn, built in the 11th century as an essential part of the Benedictine St Peter’s Monastry, is at the heart of Abbotsbury Children’s Farm. The monastery itself was destroyed in 1539 during the dissolution by Henry VIII altough there are many ruins still to be seen around St. Nicholas’ Church and the village.
The award winning Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens that sit in a stunning location just off Chesil beach in Dorset were first established in 1765 as a kitchen garden by the first Countess of Ilchester.
Abbotsbury Swannery at Chesil beach in the heart of Dorset’s Jurrasic Coast is the only place in the world where it’s possible walk through a colony of nesting mute swans. It was originally established in the 11th century by the local Benedictine Monks who farmed the swans for food.