A hilarious review of Kirkstall Abbey in Leeds complained that the ancient monastery, which was destroyed during the reign of Henry VIII, is ‘just a ruin’ with ‘no roof’.
It led to an impromptu history lesson from the team at Kirkstall Abbey, who replied to his comment explaining what happened during the Dissolution of the Monasteries.
The reviewer, commenting under the name ‘Tripod’, wrote: “The place was just a ruin. No roof and many of the walls fallen down.
“Evidently it's been open to the elements for years. You'd think Leeds City Council would have done a better job of looking after the place.
“It's clearly not fit for any monk to live in, even a monk with Bear Grylls-style survival skills.
“Having visited Westminster Abbey in London, I found this one a severe disappointment. Maybe I'll return another time and hope they've finished it.”
Enter your postcode to see what's happening where you live
In reply, Elaine F, General Manager at Kirkstall Abbey, wrote: “You are indeed correct when you say it is a ruin. It is also a Scheduled Ancient Monument.
“The abbey was begun in 1152 and by 1182 the greatest of the buildings still standing today had been built, such as the church and chapterhouse.
“In 1534, Parliament passed the Act of Supremacy, making King Henry VIII Head of the Church of England.
“Henry chose to abolish all religious houses in England because of their connection to the Catholic Church and their allegiance to the Pope. These events later became known as the ‘Dissolution of the Monasteries’.
“On 22 November 1539 the king’s agents entered the abbey’s chapterhouse, where, in the presence of all the monks, Abbot John Ripley signed the deed of surrender.
“With the monks gone the abbey grounds were sold and many of the stones used to build the abbey were recycled for other local building projects.
“We may not have a roof but we think we're the loveliest abbey ruins around! Best wishes from the team at Kirkstall Abbey.”
To get the latest email updates from LeedsLive, click here.
