When the new diocese of Man and the Isles was created, King Olaf I asked Abbot Ivo from Furness to advise him on choosing a Bishop. The Abbot travelled to the Isle of Man, and was offered land to establish a monastic community on the island, and so it was that in 1134 Rushen Abbey became the daughter house of Furness Abbey.

Built to the conventional plan of a Cistercian monastery, Rushen Abbey was constructed of local limestone, the church being quite basic and plain with the exception of some external decorative features which were enhanced by imported coloured sandstone. At a much later date, the north transept of the abbey church was heightened by the addition of a tower. Today there are few visible remains of the substantial monastery but ongoing excavations continue to uncover more archaeology across the site so helping to build up the history of the abbey.

One of the most important manuscripts documenting the medieval history of the island is thought to have been written by monks at Rushen Abbey. The Chronicles of the Kings of Man and the Isles records the activities of the Norse-Gaelic Kings over three centuries from 1016, and the last entry is a timely reminder of the turbulent years endured by the Manx people. In 1316 the Chronicle states that Rushen Abbey was pillaged by Irish raiders, leaving nothing at all. It is difficult to imagine such happenings now as the ruins lie silenced within the tranquility of landscaped gardens.

After the Dissolution, the Abbot and remaining six monks were expelled in 1540 and the monastic buildings were systematically demolished, becoming a convenient quarry for local building works. By the end of the 18th century a fine house had been erected on the site for Judge Moore, and in 1847 this became a school for young ladies. Refinement then gave way to merriment when Rushen Abbey was transformed into a country house hotel, and for the next 100 years it became a famous stopping place for strawberry cream teas and dancing. During the '80s there was a nighclub and restaurant operating on the old monastic site but even these eventually fell silent, leaving the ruinous site deserted once again.

Under threat of redevelopment, the site was finally purchased 'for the nation' in 1998 and a conservation programme was immediately instigated. Within two years Rushen Abbey was open to the public, although there is still much work to be done to reveal all the secrets of its past.