This lonely spot of grazed land next to the River Lowther is the site of the last abbey to be founded in England, in 1119, and the last to be dissolved, in 1540.
The Premonstratensians who floated about in billowing white robes might be pleased to see that the striking west tower still stands after 500 years, somehow surviving the pillaging of stone for Shap Market Hall and Lowther Castle, itself now a dramatic ruin.
Of further intrigue are nearby Neolithic remains, including the pink-granite Thunder and Goggleby stones and the Hill of Skulls burial mound; see if you can trace Shap’s 1½ mile-long stone avenue starting at Kemp Howe stone circle, now cut in half by the West Coast Main Line railway.
See more of Secret Britain
Kingley Vale, West Sussex: The ancient, twisted yews that are the oldest living things in Britain
Today's Secret Britain spot is a mysterious and magical spot in West Sussex.
Pont Minllyn, Gwynedd: The ancient pack-horse crossing that's four centuries old
A bridge coming up for four centuries old is today's Secret Britain find.
Mynydd Carningli, Pembrokeshire: The ancient volcano in the shape of a reclining woman
The peak of this remote mountain in West Wales is the next spot to make our Secret Britain list.
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This blissful converted mill has sweeping views, a breathtaking library and gardens by a Chelsea gold medallistPenny Churchill takes a look at Stanbridge Mill, one of the finest properties for sale today in the west country.
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The smooth collie: A working breed with beauty and brainsOnce the go-to Scottish herding dog, the smooth collie is as elegant as it is dependable — a working breed with beauty and brains.
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St Patrick’s Chapel ruins, Heysham: The mythical Lancashire ruins with a heavenly viewAnnunciata Elwes takes a look at St Patrick’s Chapel ruins, a Morecambe Bay landmark.
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Suisnish, Isle of Skye: The atmospheric ruins of a Clearance villageBeauty now reigns in a tragic spot where hundreds of villagers suffered during the Clearance
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Covehithe beach, Suffolk, where the cliffs crumble like cakeThe most eroded beach in Britain has a post-apocalyptic feel.
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Clydach Ironworks, Monmouthshire: Ruins in the gorge that inspired ShakespeareAn oasis of quiet now stands where the steam hammers thudded at this Welsh ironworks, in a river valley that may have moved Shakespeare to write A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
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Royston Cave, Hertfordshire: A mysterious site full of sacred energyOur Secret Britain series continues with a Hertofrdshire cave whose true nature remains unknown.
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John Bunting War Memorial Chapel, Scotch Corner: The painstaking transformation of rubble to War MemorialAnnunciata Elwes celebrates the effort that turned a derelict house into a memorial.
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The Garden of Cosmic Speculation: The surreal space where Lewis Carroll and Willy Wonka meet Capability BrownSurrealism, philosophy, nature and gardening come together at the Garden of Cosmic Speculation, as Annunciata Elwes explains.
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The Airman’s Grave, Ashdown Forest: A touching and little-known memorial to victims of war and fateA wartime tragedy in East Sussex's Ashdown Forest is among our Secret Britain picks, as chosen by Annunciata Elwes.
