Skip to content
To Do in Surrey
Weekly email
History and heritageOutdoorsWalks

Waverley Abbey

Farnham, Waverley

The vaulted undercroft at Waverley Abbey ruinsPhoto: Mills77, CC BY-SA 3.0

Photo: Mills77, CC BY-SA 3.0

The ruins of the first Cistercian monastery in Britain, founded by monks from France in 1128 beside the River Wey south-east of Farnham. The vaulted 13th-century lay brothers' refectory survives, and an ancient yew grows in the grounds.

Highlights

  • Vaulted 13th-century refectory
  • Ancient yew tree
  • Riverside setting used in the films Elizabeth and Into the Woods

Good to know

  • Dogs on leads are welcome
  • Adders live here, so keep children and dogs close and watch where you step
  • No smoking, barbecues or naked flames

Getting there

Loading the map…

Waverley Abbey, Waverley Lane, Farnham, Surrey, GU9 8EPParking: Small car park, about a five-minute walk from the ruins.

Get directions

Checked on 19 October 2026 against english-heritage.org.uk. Details change, so please confirm with the venue before you travel. How we check

Spotted something wrong or missing? Tell us

More things to do in FarnhamEvery English Heritage place in Surrey

Nearby

Autumn bracken in a clearing in Bourne WoodPhoto: BabelStone, CC BY-SA 3.0
OutdoorsFarnham · 1 km

Bourne Wood

A Forestry England wood above a large heathland clearing south of Farnham, with views over the surrounding pine forest. It is one of the UK film industry's busiest locations and has been used for films, adverts and television since 1999.

An old shopfront and tractor inside the Rural Life Living Museum at TilfordPhoto: Simon Burchell, CC BY-SA 3.0
MuseumsTilford · 2 km

Rural Life Living Museum

An open-air museum in the countryside near Tilford with historic rural buildings and a large collection of farm machinery, tools, cycles and fire engines from country life. It runs toddler mornings, activity days and courses through the year.

£10 to £25Directions
The red-brick Farnham Maltings building beside the riverPhoto: BabelStone, CC BY-SA 3.0
Arts and cultureFarnham · 3 km

Farnham Maltings

A riverside arts centre in a former maltings in central Farnham, with shows, exhibitions, a café and craft shops. Its monthly market, held inside and out, is one of the oldest and largest in Surrey.

Show and workshop prices vary. Entry to the monthly market is paid on the door (free for Maltings members).Directions