Stoneleigh Abbey

Stoneleigh Abbey is a large country mansion situated to the southwest of the village of Stoneleigh, Warwickshire, England. It is a Grade II* listed building.

The Abbey was founded by the Cistercians in 1154. but very little trace remains of the original Abbey buildings except for the 14th century Gatehouse.

After the Dissolution of the Monasteries the estate was acquired by Sir Thomas Leigh, Lord Mayor of London in 1558, and a house was built ( which now forms the north and west wings of the present house) on the site of the monastical buildings. It was the home of the Leigh family from 1561 to 1990.

Between 1714 and 1726 a new palatial four storey fifteen bay west wing was built to designs by architect Francis Smith of Warwick and provides an impressive range of State apartments.

In 1996 Lord John Piers Leigh transferred the ownership of Stoneleigh Abbey and its convert|690|acre|ha|0|sing=on grounds to a charitable trust, and then between 1996 and 2000 it was extensively renovated with the help of grants including a large grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund. The upstairs floors were converted into private apartments by Kit Martin. The property is open to the public.

References

* [http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=57135 "A History of the County of Warwick, Volume 6" (1951) pp 229-240 from British History Online]
* "A History of the Commoners of Great Britain and Ireland" (1835) John Burke pp 223 (ISBN9781847271686)
* [http://timetrail.warwickshire.gov.uk/detail.aspx?monuid=WA2905 Warwickshire County Council Timetrail]

External links

* [http://www.stoneleighabbey.org/visitorinfo/facilsadnmis.html Stoneleigh Abbey]