St Augustine's Abbey - Modern History

Modern History

This palace was leased to a succession of nobles, and in the early 17th century was in the possession of Edward Wotton, 1st Baron Wotton, who employed John Tradescant the elder, to lay out formal gardens around it. This palace is thought to have survived until a great storm in 1703, which certainly caused great damage to the already ruinous structure of the abbey.

Now a World Heritage Site, the ruins of this important monastic foundation built by Saint Augustine are in the care of English Heritage.

Today the ruin precincts cover a substantial area east of the cathedral, and in fact, in its heyday the abbey's church rivalled nearby Canterbury Cathedral in size.

The foundations of the main abbey building are located at 51°16′41.26″N 1°5′17.54″E / 51.2781278°N 1.0882056°E / 51.2781278; 1.0882056Coordinates: 51°16′41.26″N 1°5′17.54″E / 51.2781278°N 1.0882056°E / 51.2781278; 1.0882056