Fountains Abbey – Chapter House sits within the vast, UNESCO-listed ruins of one of England’s great Cistercian foundations. The Chapter House itself survives as a vaulted, contemplative space where monks once gathered to read, debate, and plan the abbey’s affairs, its stone walls softened by moss and gentle light. Today the atmosphere is hushed and timeless, with arcades framing the approach and the surrounding Studley Royal gardens lending bursts of color to the ancient stone. The site also carries a cinematic legacy, having been used as Aretuza’s courtyard and cloisters in The Witcher, infusing the ruins with a touch of fantasy while preserving their austere beauty.

Fountains Abbey – Studley Canal sits within one of England’s most evocative monastic landscapes, where a 12th‑century Cistercian abbey rises above water gardens and parkland. Founded in 1132, Fountains Abbey flourished as a monastic community before the Dissolution, and today its silent corridors, towering arches, and moss‑toned stones tell a history of devotion and endurance. The adjacent Studley Royal Water Garden, linked by a serpentine canal and long arbored avenues, adds a Romantic-era splendor that contrasts with the abbey’s medieval gravity. The site’s atmospheric ruins have attracted filmmakers (notably The Witcher), where its silhouettes doubled as Aretuza’s courtyard and cloisters, lending a sense of ancient power and quiet mystery to the landscape.

Fountains Abbey – Water Garden sits within the ancient Cistercian abbey complex near Ripon, where centuries of monastic life meet 18th-century landscape artistry. The Water Garden, part of the Studley Royal estate, was laid out in the early 1700s by visionary designers to create a serene procession of lakes, stone terraces, and winding channels that reflect light across the lawns. The abbey ruins frame the garden with weathered arches and expansive skies, giving the site a hushed, reverent atmosphere that lingers with visitors. The location has become a cinematic touchstone, famously doubling as Aretuza’s courtyard and cloisters in The Witcher, lending the historic stones a mythic, otherworldly aura that still resonates with fans.