The ruins of Netley Abbey are absolutely stunning. Its great to escape Southampton City and explore the ruins. Entry is free and there is a small car park available onsite. Note there are no facilities such as toilets or a cafe. The site is very peaceful and well maintained. A very nice spot to relax, have a picnic or take some nice photos.

If you like historic ruins and are in the area, it's well worth a look, especially being a free English heritage site. The abbey remains are quite extensive and although there are a few fenced off areas (for safety), you can still get to see pretty much everything. A pleasant way to spend 30 mins to 1 hour.

Netley Abbey is one of our favourite places to visit. We come here often as its close to where we live and my children love it here and so does myself and my husband. It's free to visit, only has one entry in and out (so pretty closed off and safe for little ones to run about and explore) its well maintained and perfect to stop off at for a small family picnic or just some where to spend a few hours enjoying being outside and learning some history.

My wife and I visited Netley Abbey today, and we were treated to a remarkably peaceful experience. In fact, we had the entire site to ourselves! While there were no brilliant volunteers like ‘Bob’ from Portchester Castle on hand to guide us this time, the splendid isolation allowed us to explore these magnificent ruins entirely at our own pace. Standing close to Southampton Water, Netley is a truly breathtaking site. It holds the distinction of being the most complete surviving abbey built by the Cistercian monks in southern England. We were awestruck to see that almost all the soaring walls of its 13th-century church still stand, alongside the fascinating remnants of many other monastic buildings. The site's history adds a wonderful layer of intrigue. After the Suppression, the buildings were converted into a fashionable Tudor house. Most traces of this Tudor residence were deliberately removed in the 19th century so that Netley's ivy-clad remains, nestled in their tranquil wooded setting, could be celebrated as a "perfect medieval ruin." Walking through the serene grounds today, it is incredibly easy to see why this place served as such a profound inspiration for Romantic writers and poets. From a practical standpoint, there is reasonable parking situated conveniently just inside the gates. Visitors should note, however, that there is no shop on site and absolutely no toilet facilities... unless, of course, you intend to adopt the medieval method! A wonderfully atmospheric and highly recommended visit.

Netley Abbey is one of those rare places where history doesn’t feel distant — it feels alive. The moment you walk in, there’s a calm, almost magical atmosphere, as if the walls still remember everything that once happened here. The site is free to enter, which makes it even more special, and the whole area is beautifully maintained and very well looked after. You can walk around freely and, in many places, literally touch the ancient stonework that has stood here for centuries. It creates a very real connection with the past that’s hard to describe. Surrounded by greenery and silence, the ruins feel peaceful and almost timeless. A perfect place to slow down, reflect, and simply enjoy the beauty of history in its purest form.