The author and family visited the beautifully preserved Greyabbey Cistercian monastery site in County Down, Northern Ireland. The monastery was founded in 1193 by Affreca, wife of John de Courcy, and features some of the finest Gothic architecture in Ulster, including an elaborate 13th century west doorway. While some buildings were damaged over time, the site contains remarkably well-preserved structures like the refectory and an interpretive center housing original artifacts.