I have just added this to the map of places to fly your drone at Drone Scene:
Fountains Abbey is one of the most spectacular and best-preserved monastic ruins in England, located near Ripon in North Yorkshire. It’s part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site known as Studley Royal Park, including the Ruins of Fountains Abbey and Fountains Hall.
Founded: 1132 by 13 Benedictine monks who left St Mary’s Abbey in York seeking a simpler, more devout life as a Cistercian – known for their austerity, self-sufficiency, and agricultural innovation.
Peak Prosperity: By the 13th century, Fountains Abbey had become one of the richest monasteries in England, owning vast lands and thriving through wool production.
Dissolution: In 1539, during Henry VIII’s Dissolution of the Monasteries, the abbey was seized and closed. Its lands were sold to private owners, and the buildings fell into ruin over time.
Studley Royal Water Garden
Created in the 18th century by John Aislabie and later his son William, this landscape garden incorporates the abbey ruins into its design — an early example of Romantic landscaping. Features include ornamental lakes, canals, temples, follies, and carefully composed vistas. The combination of the abbey’s medieval ruins and the Georgian water gardens makes the site unique in Europe.
As it is a National Trust run estate TOAL is limited, however, there are a few spots on the adjacent road on by the west entrance where VLOS can be maintained that I've marked on the map.
The originator declared that this location was not inside a Flight Restriction Zone at the time of being flown on 01/11/2025. It remains the responsibility of any pilot to check for any changes before flying at the same location. Landowner permission may be required before taking off.
