Abbey volunteers 'dismayed' by winter close plans

Visitors to an ancient monastery have said they are "dismayed" about proposals to close it during the winter.

Furness Abbey, on the outskirts of Barrow, Cumbria, was founded about 900 years ago and was the first of England's "greater monasteries" to be dissolved during Henry VIII's religious reforms.

English Heritage, which runs the site, said it was operating in a "challenging environment" and the plans would help it remain "financially resilient".

The vice chairman of volunteer group Furness Abbey Fellowship said they disagreed the move was the "best way forward".

English Heritage said Furness Abbey was currently only open on the weekends in the winter and did not have many visitors during the colder months.

The ruins only had 164 visitors in December 2024, compared with almost 3,500 in August that year, a spokesperson said.

They said the "pandemic and its aftermath" had led to "lasting changes in visitor expectations and behaviour".

Volunteer Ron Creer said the group had worked hard alongside Furness Abbey's team to increase visitor numbers in recent years.

"This action negates this," he said.

The proposals to shut Furness Abbey in the winter are part of plans to do the same to 20 of English Heritage's other sites.

The body did not confirm the other locations on the list.

It is also looking to make at least 189 redundancies in its current workforce of more than 2,500 people.

It did not confirm how many could be affected at Furness Abbey.

Mr Creer said the volunteer group continued to support English Heritage but said the moves at Furness Abbey felt "ill judged".

English Heritage said it would consult with staff and unions about the changes.

"Nothing will be confirmed until after this formal consultation period," a spokesperson said.

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