Rievaulx Terrace

We visited Rievaulx Terrace and Temple after exploring Rievaulx Abbey and, although the half mile-long grass terrace and particularly the vistas over the Abbey to Ryedale and the Hambleton Hills are impressive in their own right, we recommend visiting the Abbey first so as to fully appreciate the loftier perspective.

Kassie relished the opportunity to run wild on the expansive terrace, pausing to pick wildflowers when she grew tired, and she particularly enjoyed our visit to the Ionic Temple, one of two mid-18th-century temples. Intended as a banqueting house, it contains impressive 18th-century furniture as well as elaborate ceiling paintings, descriptions of which were graciously bestowed on our five-year-old.

Date of Our Last Visit: July 2002