Advantages: Excellent Overdraft Rate, Online Banking, Telephone Banking
Disadvantages: None

...~~~~ UPDATE AT THE END FOR THOSE WHO HAVE PREVIOUSLY READ THIS OP ~~~~ Abbey National, the habit of a lifetime. How many of us change bank accounts regularly or look around for a better deal? Let’s face it most people will shop around for the best mortgage deal before committing to one institution. How many of us are happy with our current bank or building society account? If we’re not do we actually do anything about it? Have we become complacent in keeping abreast of financial developments? How many of us keep all our receipts for debit card transactions and scrutinise our statements thoroughly when they arrive? I’m one of those people who likes to keep up to date with what’s going on in the financial world. Not so much in the way of monitoring stocks and shares but more in the way of what’s on offer to us consumers... Read review

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Advantages: History and religion well presented
Disadvantages: None that I found

...Slip back in time. It's the 25th of December, 1066. William the Conqueror is being crowned... the first monarch to walk down the stone floor to his coronation with subjects watching in awe, with hopes and aspirations for a wise and honest reign. Move forward to 2006 and step into Westminster Abbey. I did and immediately mused about all those feet which traversed these hallowed stones before me. Just a few foot-steps into this London icon you are hushed by the history, whispering in awe of the noble 'residents' some resting in grand chapels, others stately with massive statues and some marked by stone memorials on the floor. Not just the royal, aristocrats and the country's best in society but poets, writers, scientists, architects, politicians, musicians, military people, explorers and even an unknown solider in pride of place... Read review

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Advantages: Fantastic Location, Free To Visit
Disadvantages: Mainly Ruins

...Beauchief Abbey lies 5 miles to the south of Sheffield City Centre, on a north-facing hillside. Mature woodland and two large Golf Courses surround it, and although only the remains of the Abbey exist today it is well worth a visit here just for the beauty and tranquillity of its setting. Robert FitzRanulf de Alfreton founded Beauchief (pronounced bee-chiff) Abbey in either 1176 or 1183, depending on which source of information you trust. Robert FitzRanulf was the high Sherriff of Nottingham and Derbyshire and he had the Abbey built out of his own funds on land that he owned. This Abbey was dedicated to Saint Mary and Thomas Beckett and was of the Premonstratensian order that had been founded in France by Saint Norbert at Prémontré. It was the only Premonstratensian Abbey in this part of England. Thomas Beckitt was a chancellor... Read review

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Advantages: Not One
Disadvantages: Open to Fraud, unhelpful, rude, arrogant, no customer focus, terrible bank

...So a recent survey by BBC Watchdog (that average programme that highlights issues and makes you more annoyed with the state if this once great country) listed the Abbey as Britain's worst bank and I couldn't agree more. Let me give you a little bit of history, I have been with them for 23 years (with a few minor niggles, but nothing much to be concerned over), but the last 4 years the bank has hit the bottom in terms of customer service (the bane of my life). About 3 years ago my account was scammed by a lovelly little company and at that time it started with a £1 purchase with a chat line (to test the card was active) and then from there the wonderful gents decided to hit Tesco petrol stations across Birmingham at £25.77 per transaction at exactly the same time. Now being diligent I reported this to my bank had my cards stopped... Read review

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Advantages: Well preserved, stunning setting
Disadvantages: Although it's well preserved, it's still a ruin.

...Driving home from a short break in the English Lake District, which is only about a two hour journey for us, we decided to turn off the motorway and take a more scenic route home. We left the motorway at Gretna Green and drove along the coast of the Solway Firth to the village of NEW ABBEY. It doesn't take a modern-day Sherlock Holmes to deduce that there's a fair-to-middling chance that a village called new Abbey might possibly have some connection to the monastic way of life. And indeed it does. In 1273, a Cistercian abbey was founded here by Lady Devorgilla in memory of her late husband, John Balliol. Lady Devorgilla's claim to fame is that she kept her husband's embalmed heart in a casket and carried it with her until her own death in 1289. When she died, she was buried, together with his heart, near the altar of what... Read review

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Advantages: A Beautiful Place In A Lovely Setting
Disadvantages: Mainly Just Ruins

...Roche Abbey lies approximately 13 miles to the East of Sheffield and 9 miles to the West of Doncaster in Maltby Beck, in South Yorkshire. Although the Abbey is now in ruins it is a place that is well worth a visit if you are ever in the area, and though it was one of lesser known Cistercian Abbeys of its era it is nonetheless a very typical example of a 12th century Abbey. THE HISTORY Roche Abbey was built in 1147, it was a joint foundation by Richard de Busli, Lord of Maltby, and Richard Fitzturgis, Lord of Hooten, and was in this respect rather unusual. Otherwise, the Abbey's development was in many ways similar to that of many other Cistercian Abbeys in England, enjoying a steady period of growth during the twelfth and early part of the thirteenth centuries followed by a gradual decline and its eventual dissolution in 1538... Read review

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Advantages: Architecturally significant and culturally important site, beautiful location
Disadvantages: Fountains Abbey offers visitors a unique glimpse into the world of medieval monasticism. Its striking architecture and the beauty of its natural surroundings combine to ensure a memorable experience.

...►►Introduction◄◄ I've known about Fountains Abbey for many years. Indeed, long before Himself and I first visited Fountains with two English friends, I knew that it had been acknowledged as a World Heritage Site and I knew that the abbey's ruins were the most extensive of their kind to be found anywhere in Europe. Still, knowing and experiencing are two different things. No matter how much you know about Fountains beforehand, it will likely shock the senses. Located in northern Yorkshire in a secluded valley along the River Skell, Fountains was constructed in glorious isolation. Even today, one must actively seek the abbey in order to find it. Modern visitors making an initial approach from the Visitor Centre will see only the top of the church tower. Gradually, as one follows the path downward... Read review

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Advantages: Good views. lots of history
Disadvantages: Admission charges

...If you visit the small, picturesque seaside town of Whitby in North Yorkshire the one thing that you cannot fail to see are the eerie ruins of the Abbey, perched high on the hillside overlooking the town. If you decide to explore this little fishing town further you will find reference to Whitby's most famous hero, Captain Cook at every turn, but almost just as prominent, though less well known nationally, are the references to St Hilda. During the 7th century AD the Northumbrian tribe ruled these lands and Lady Hilda, was the niece of Edwin, who was the first Christian King of Northumbria, having been converted to Christianity by the Irish Monks that had settled close to here. Hilda was a formidable character, her Saxon name is even derived from the word "hild" meaning battle, and her uncle appointed her the Abbess of this Abbey... Read review

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Advantages: plenty to do on and off site, entertainment every night
Disadvantages: amusements were expensive

...Perran Sands Haven Site was ideally situated in Perranporth, Cornwall and had its own beach - accessed from a steep hill and had no car park near the beach. However, it was excellent for body-boarding and we enjoyed this for several hours. The only down side was the climb back up !! There was no life guard - but we did got out of season, so this was to be expected. The caravan we used was a Silver type which came with duvets, microwave and had a gas fire in the living room. The kitchenette was quite big and we had 2 toilets, 1 with a shower and the caravan had 3 bedrooms. On site was 2 amusement arcades, a Burger King, 3 or 4 bars (we did not visit the Surf Rider to see what it contained), a mini supermarket and Crazy Golf and a ride which was similar to bumper cars but span you round and had lasers on it, which cost £1 a go... Read review

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Advantages: High street, postal, telephone, internet, ATM access. Variety.
Disadvantages: Status

...The Abbey National is now the Abbey following an acquisition by a European multinational. I joined the Abbey National just before it became a PLC and enjoyed a windfall from share options issued then. I transferred due to dissatisfaction with another bank and found facilities for transfer very easy. Even in the 1990's they took care of all my direct debits and standing orders etc. I just completed the paper work. I should think the facilities have improved. THE WEBSITE Since the development of online technology and the Internet in the 1990's The Abbey website and services have expanded considerably. The website has a user friendly interface with advice on many branches of finance including Abbey business, Abbey international, Abbey share dealing, the internet bank Cahoot, Abbey funds centre, Jobs at Abbey, Inscape, Scottish... Read review

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