Tarrant Abbey

Tarrant Abbey was a Cistercian nunnery in Tarrant Crawford, Dorset. Founded in 1186, it became a nunnery in the 13th century and was once England’s richest. The site includes the remains of the abbey church, now the parish church of St Mary the Virgin. Queen Joan, wife of Alexander II of Scotland, is buried in the graveyard. Bishop Richard Poore, who built Salisbury Cathedral, was baptised and later buried here. The church of St Mary the Virgin stands as the only visible remnant of the abbey. Built in the 12th century, it is now a Grade I listed building cared for by the Churches Conservation Trust. The abbey’s buried remains form a Scheduled monument. Known abbesses include Claricia, elected around 1228, and Edith Coker, who died in 1535. Margaret Russell surrendered the abbey to Henry VIII in 1539. Visitors find the quiet church of St Mary the Virgin, with its medieval roots still visible. The graveyard holds the tomb of Queen Joan. The site offers a sense of the abbey’s former importance despite its ruins. The surrounding area in Dorset remains peaceful and rural. The church’s preserved structure provides a glimpse into its past.