Rufford Abbey was founded in 1146 and filled with Cistercian monks from Rievaulx Abbey in Yorkshire. The monks lived a spartan life and their time was divided between work, study and prayer. However Rufford Abbey struggled due to a decrease in population of monks. Shortly after Henry VIII dissolved the monasteries, in 1536 the Abbey was converted into a country house and the monastic walls were dimolished. The Savile family took over the house in 1626 and made many changes to the estate, including a bath house, stable block and other buildings around the nearby lake. In 1931 the estate was sold and in 1938, the estate closed. The building fell into disrepair and the damaged north and east wings were dimolished leaving the present day Rufford Abbey.