Not much has been written about Lesnes Abbey since the excavations of the Woolwich Antiquarian Society by Alfred Clapham between 1909 and 1913. Tony Thomas has been studying and surveying the ruins for several years and been involved in new excavations when buildings have been replaced. 

In this walk through the ruins, Tony will explain what they reveal about the development of the abbey, pointing out features in the walls and landscape that show how the abbey changed over the course of its life between 1178 and 1525. The talk covers aspects not explored in the available publications and sheds light on ​how it may have ​fallen into disrepair.

To join this tour come to the Friends of Lesnes Abbey and Woods stall in the Farmer's Market or wait on the paving outside Chestnut's Coffee Kiosk five minutes before the tour is due to start.

This walk is ideal for anyone interested in either the history of Lesnes Abbey or how archaeology can reveal clues about the past in mediaeval stonework. It is also a great opportunity to ask Tony questions about the aspects of the site that might have puzzled you. 

We will walk around the ruins of what was once a large Augustinian abbey that has its floor plan remarkably intact. This allowing us to follow in the footsteps of the canons.

We will cover:

• The founder, his relationship with Thomas Becket and why this abbey was important to him

• The various buildings and room of the abbey and what happened in them

• What attracted pilgrims to Lesnes Abbey on their way to Canterbury

• Why there is a heart still buried in one of the chapels

• Why the abbey struggled to make ends meet

• Why it was one of the first abbeys closed, and not by Henry VIII.

• How the ruins survived and were uncovered at the start of the 20th century

This tour is suitable for all ages. Educationally it relates the abbey to the national curriculum KS3 on the development of the church, state and society in medieval Britain.

• Walk through peaceful natural surroundings enjoying the every changing backdrop of each season.

• Travel back in time 55 million years to meet ‘Claude’ and try your hand at finding seashells and sharks teeth.

• Find out what the Romans did for the woods, and their continuing legacy.

• Understand the trees and how they adapt to survive.

• Learn how the abbey obtained its water from the woods.

• Discover sculptures by nature and sculptures by man, against the backdrop of ever changing scenery.

Seasonal Notes: February and Early March - See the abundance of wild daffodils creating a carpet of yellow. Late March and April - Enjoy the deep green and blue of native English bluebells filling the gaps between the trees.

A longer two hour option for this walk is also available

Take a gentle and refreshing walk through the award winning woodland at Lesnes Abbey and let yourself empty your mind and be absorbed  in the beauty and calming effects of the natural world around you. 

This walk involved frequent stops where you are invited to focus on an aspect of your surroundings.

Every walk is different as nature does not stay still, with wild daffodils and bluebells in the spring, lush greens and butterflies in the summer and, even in the winter, the leafless trees and wide variety of fungi provide things to reflect on.

Your host is an experienced wellbeing guide and by the end of this walk you should have plenty of that 'feelgood factor' that getting closer to nature always gives you.

You will find out all about the trees: where they come from, what makes them unique and how they have impacted our world. 

• The three native pine trees of Britain

• Fossil Trees

• What their wood is like and how it is used

• Folklore and mythology

We start our hour long walk with an imaginary clock counting down from the formation of planet Earth. As we walk, we will experience the story of our planet through the ages as if it were compressed into just one day and discover all the significant moments, including mass extinctions, the formation of the Moon, the oceans, the atmosphere, the early evolution of single-celled life, plate tectonics, multi-cellular life and the arrival of our own species: homo sapiens, all before our clock strikes midnight.

This is a fascinating experience as well as a very enjoyable walk.

Please wear suitable footwear as we will be walking across grass or on uneven surfaces. 

Deep time walks were created by scientists and communicators to help people understand how we relate to our planet and the universe. For more information about Deep Time Walks, please visit  http://www.deeptimewalk.org

Lesnes Abbey Woods stretches across an escarpment that is about 50 metres high and crossed by many ridges and valleys, or as they are known locally, slades. In this walk we will not let a narrow path or steep gradient put us off, we'll follow some of the less well used tracks in the woods and explore some of the ancient features of this ancient woodland. Hopefully we'll hear and see some wildlife too.

• Wood Carvings

• Ancient Earthworks

• Dene holes

• Heathland

• A quarry

Wear good quality footwear such as trainers. Bring water, check the weather forecast, and dress accordingly.