Monks of the Monastery | St Mary's Abbey

York After Dark

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Friday, 16 October 2026 - 11 minutes

We're taking you inside the quiet beauty of Museum Gardens in this episode of York After Dark. Stripping away the picturesque view of St. Mary’s Abbey ruins, Aaron uncovers the violent destruction of the monastery in 1539 under King Henry VIII. Discover how one of the wealthiest Benedictine abbeys in Northern England was smashed, burned, and looted, and why park wardens, night workers, and visitors still report seeing faceless monks fleeing through the trees and hearing phantom Gregorian chants echoing across the empty lawns.

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