In 1540 the Crown sold the abbey lands to Sir Richard Williams (alias Cromwell).
He used most of the abbey buildings as a source of stone for walls and cottages at hand, and to provide good Barnack stone for new buildings.
He had part of the abbey gatehouse dismantled and re-erected at Hinchingbrooke House.
Much stone was taken to Cambridge to build Gonville and Caius, King's and Trinity colleges.
Stone was taken for the tower for the parish church of St Mary the Virgin in Godmanchester.
This included a doorway from the abbey that was dismantled and re-erected as the west doorway of St Mary's.
As late as 1672 stone for a new tower for Ramsey's own parish church of St Thomas à Becket was also taken from the Abbey.

Around 1600 Sir Henry Williams (alias Cromwell) had a house built on the site of the abbey church.
Six bays of the 13th-century Lady Chapel survive as the basement of the house.

In 1737 Coulson Fellowes, later MP for Huntingdonshire, bought the house.
It passed down through several generations of the family.
In 1804–06 William Henry Fellowes had the abbey house enlarged to designs by Sir John Soane.
In 1889 his son Edward Fellowes was created 1st Baron de Ramsey.
In 1931 at the coming of age of John Ailwyn Fellowes, 4th Baron de Ramsey the family moved its seat to Abbots Ripton Hall.
In 1937 the Fellowes leased the building for 99 years to Ramsey Abbey School.
In 1952 Major The Hon.
Henry Rogers Broughton gave the gatehouse to the National Trust in memory of his late wife The Hon.
Diana Broughton (née Fellowes).
In 1540 the Crown sold the abbey lands to Sir Richard Williams (alias Cromwell). He used most of the abbey buildings as a source of stone for walls and cottages at hand, and to provide good Barnack stone for new buildings. He had part of the abbey gatehouse dismantled and re-erected at Hinchingbrooke House. Much stone was taken to Cambridge to build Gonville and Caius, King's and Trinity colleges. Stone was taken for the tower for the parish church of St Mary the Virgin in Godmanchester. This included a doorway from the abbey that was dismantled and re-erected as the west doorway of St Mary's. As late as 1672 stone for a new tower for Ramsey's own parish church of St Thomas à Becket was also taken from the Abbey.
Around 1600 Sir Henry Williams (alias Cromwell) had a house built on the site of the abbey church. Six bays of the 13th-century Lady Chapel survive as the basement of the house.
In 1737 Coulson Fellowes, later MP for Huntingdonshire, bought the house. It passed down through several generations of the family. In 1804–06 William Henry Fellowes had the abbey house enlarged to designs by Sir John Soane. In 1889 his son Edward Fellowes was created 1st Baron de Ramsey. In 1931 at the coming of age of John Ailwyn Fellowes, 4th Baron de Ramsey the family moved its seat to Abbots Ripton Hall. In 1937 the Fellowes leased the building for 99 years to Ramsey Abbey School. In 1952 Major The Hon. Henry Rogers Broughton gave the gatehouse to the National Trust in memory of his late wife The Hon. Diana Broughton (née Fellowes).
Ramsey Abbey