A fascinating building with an immensely varied history, Denny Abbey in Cambridgeshire was founded in 1159 by Benedictine monks, who left after only 11 years, before their church was complete. It was finished with a shortened nave by the Knights Templar, who stayed until the order was forcibly suppressed in 1308.
In 1328 the Countess of Pembroke set up a new abbey for an order of nuns known as the Poor Clares. Radical changes were made to the original church, which was converted into private accommodation, with a new guest hall replacing the south aisle. The east end was replaced by a new, larger church in Gothic style built in its place.
Following the dissolution of the nunnery in 1539 by Henry VIII, the private quarters were converted into a farmhouse, which remained in use until the late 1960s. The 12th- and 14th-century architectural features were revealed in the 1960s.
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