Combermere Abbey lies in the heart of the countryside on the Cheshire/Shropshire border and only 7 miles from Wales. The building itself is a mixture of mediaeval and 16th Century design with an additional Gothic look from the 19th Century. The Abbey was founded by the Cistercian's in 1133 by a Hugh de Malbank. It grew to be a wealthy house owning lands of over 22000 acres however it began to have a history of poor administration and discipline. Henry VIII saw to the dissolution of the Abbey and many other outbuildings. All that was left was the Abbots house and hall which form the basis of what is seen today. In 1563, Henry VIII handed the remains and lands to a trusted supporter, Sir George Cotton. The Cotton family lived in the house until 1919 and during this time the house went through many stages of building and change. The Abbey is the location for one of the most famous photographs in paranormal research, taken by Sybell Corbet in the Abbey Library in 1891 and appearing to show Sir Stephen Cotton (Lord Combermere) sat in his favourite chair. Over the years other apparitions have been seen, such as a monk seen in a small room off Porters Hall. This room dates back to 1503 and is the oldest part of the Abbots lodge. It is said that this monk is a guardian of the house and has over the years protected the house from demolition