Rushen Abbey

PricingFree with English Heritage membershipEH memberFree entryNon-member£11

EH members go freeInfo

Free entry for English Heritage members

This place is cared for by Manx National Heritage, the Isle of Man's heritage charity. English Heritage members get free admission to all its heritage attractions from the first year of membership. Show your current membership card at admissions.

Free admission applies to the member only, plus children aged 4 and under; other adults and older children pay.
Admission charges may apply for some special events.
Several sites are seasonal, open from Easter to the end of October.

More information

Entry

Non-member prices

Adult£11.00

Student (over 18 with card)£5.50

Pricing details

Standard walk-up price without the optional £1.50 voluntary donation (decline it at the ticket desk). Children aged 16 and under free, accompanied by an adult. Free for English Heritage members showing a valid card (the named member only, plus children aged 4 and under; accompanying adults pay). Multi-site savings, MNH 7 or 14 day Holiday Passes and the resident Annual Pass also give entry; special events may charge extra.

On production of a valid student card; without the optional £1.50 donation. Free for English Heritage members showing a valid card (the named member only, plus children aged 4 and under; accompanying adults pay).

ParkingFree parkingFree for all visitors

No charge for anyone.

Parking details

On-site car park at Rushen Abbey (satnav IM9 3DB, what3words grounding.indicative.bristled): compacted earth topped with gravel and loose chippings, uneven in places, with four marked disabled bays and a level paved path of about 50 m to the visitor centre. Visit Isle of Man (Isle of Man Government) lists 'On site parking' and 'Parking (free)' for the site; no tariff is published anywhere. Coach parking behind the Abbey Restaurant, a five-minute level walk from the entrance.

Driving pin: the MNH page pin (54.097934, -4.634171), which sits on the site itself 30 m from the Google listing; the car park is on site and no separate car park pin exists. Arriving by the Mill Road ford from Silverdale Glen means a stone footbridge with five large steps each side.

Buses 1, 1A, 1H, 2, 2A, 11, 11A, 12 and 12A to Ballasalla (the main Douglas to the south route, about 25 minutes from Douglas), then a 10 minute walk on the level; Isle of Man Steam Railway to Ballasalla station. Pavements through Ballasalla village are very narrow in places.

About

Rushen Abbey (Mannishter Rushen) at Ballasalla was gifted by King Olaf in 1134 and grew under the Cistercians into the Isle of Man's seat of religious power and learning; cared for by Manx National Heritage, the site later became a 1900s pleasure garden and, by the 1980s, a nightclub. The outdoor ruins show the areas of worship, study and rest, and the visitor centre follows an 800-year timeline with finds from every period and explanations of life and literacy in a medieval monastery. Beyond the ruins the grounds open into gardens planted around the medicinal needs of the monks, with a pond, a sensory garden and musical benches, and the family 'Monky Business' activities run through the site. Reviewers rate the gardens the best part, with each plant's medicinal use explained, and treat the lawns as a picnic spot; some find the abbey remains modest. Tips from visitors: allow an hour or two, children like the games barn, and volunteers serve tea, coffee and ice cream in the visitor centre.

Check today’s timesSee all times

Rushen Abbey12:00 – 16:00last entry 15:30

Opening times may change at short notice.

2026 season Friday 27 March to Sunday 1 November 2026, open Thursday to Monday 12:00 to 16:00, last entry 15:30; closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and closed over the winter until the 2027 season.

Admission: adult £11, student £5.50 (over 18 with a valid student card), children 16 and under free with an adult; every ticket carries an optional £1.50 donation that you can decline at the desk. Free for English Heritage members showing a valid card (the named member only, plus children aged 4 and under; accompanying adults pay). Multi-site savings and MNH's 7 or 14 day Holiday Passes and resident Annual Pass are available; some special events charge extra; pre-booked groups of 15 or more get a discount. Carers accompanying a disabled visitor enter free.

Level entrance through a heavy single glass door; the visitor centre is on one level with several moderate ramps and uneven floor coverings and low lighting (torches and ear defenders can be borrowed). The ruins and gardens are explored on gravel-topped earth paths and wooden decking, uneven and muddy when wet, with a level short-grass area; wheelchair users may need help on the gravel, a wheelchair can be borrowed and mobility scooters are welcome. Induction loop at reception and the shop. Unisex accessible toilet, male and female toilets with baby changing, 20 m behind reception down a moderate ramp. Unfenced pond to the far left of the grounds.

Gift shop at the entrance with a small refreshment corner serving hot drinks and snacks; the separate Abbey Restaurant next door has level access. Picnics and play are welcome on the lawns; 'Monky Business' play bags for children from reception. Assistance dogs are welcome with a water bowl at reception. Unauthorised drones are not permitted.

Photo: the abbey ruins, church tower and visitor centre across the lawns from the north. Otter, CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Isle_of_Man_-_Ballasalla_-_Rushen_Abbey_20240222_Overview_from_north.jpg. Licence: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0. Resized and cropped for display; derivatives retain the source licence.