I didn't think I was going to be able to get this shot as the Abbey was full of school kids dressed up as Cistercian monks so I was over the moon when the place suddenly emptied.
As you can probably guess from its name, the Cellarium was used to store food, wine and ale for the monks of Fountains Abbey.
For those who don't know Fountains Abbey, it was founded by Cistercian monks in 1132 and prospered for around 400 years until Henry VIII came along. Henry was married to Catherine of Aragon at the time but wanted to divorce her so that he could marry Anne Boleyn. The Catholic Church wasn't having any of it though and refused his demand so Henry established the Church of England and promptly ordered the dissolution of the monasteries in 1539.
Fountains Abbey is the largest and best-preserved example of a monastery in England. It is now managed by the National Trust as part of Studley Royal Park, which boasts stunning grounds, follies and statues. It certainly makes for a great day out.
