Furness Abbey is a local treasure and a popular attraction for tourists and visitors to the area.
It's an important part of local and national history, and much is being done to raise awareness of just how significant the Abbey is. Since 2008 English Heritage has been working on protecting the Abbey spending £2m in the process; whilst the Furness Abbey Fellowship have been doing all they can to help raise awareness of the Abbeys importance.
The Furness Abbey Fellowship is a small charity that was formed in 2012. It supports and assists English Heritage by raising awareness of the building, and holding activities and events throughout the year.
Gill Jepson, chairwoman of the Furness Abbey Fellowship, said: "The more awareness we raise, then the more people can see what is going on at the Abbey.”
“We are looking to develop further and reach out to attract extra visitors”
“We really want to bring back the importance of Furness Abbey, and it’s an important part of National history.”
With that in mind, there are some great events taking place this year at Furness Abbey that are perfect for the whole family.
This Sunday (8th May) sees the Abbey transported back in time, and you can find out how monks lived their lives inside the medieval monastery. You can watch a cooking display and learn about medicinal remedies. It’s a fantastic experience, you’ll also be able to take a tour of the site with a monk and witness a chapter meeting. The event runs from 10am – 5pm
Sunday 29th May sees the 4th Heritage Hobble take place-around the 4 mile Abbey Greenway loop. The hobble starts at Furness Abbey and ends at the wonderful Abbey Mill Cafe.You can bring the kids, walk the dog or come in heritage dress! It’s a fun way for all the family to fundraise for the Fellowship.
And later on in the year (Saturday 3rd September) The Furness Abbey Fellowships Medieval Fair takes place.
It will be the 4th Medieval Fair to be held in the majestic grounds of Furness Abbey. Come along and witness Living history with Iron Shepherds and many more weapons displays, traditional skills and crafts, heritage talks, crafts and refreshments.
So there you have it, there’s so much planned for this year, you can bring the whole family and get involved in the fantastic events, and learn a little more about the Abbey and just how important it really is at the same time!
For more details about Furness Abbey Fellowship, how you can get involved, and the events taking place this year, please visit http://www.furnessabbeyfellowship.org
