I regularly drive past the sign for Buckfast Abbey, a place I hadn’t visited since I was a child fifty years ago. A return visit was long overdue.
Benedictine monks first arrived there in the early 11th century, but the monastery was destroyed in 1539, during Henry V111th’s dissolution. In 1882 a group of French Benedictine monks settled there and a slow rebuild began.
This is what happened next.
What an achievement.
Impressive doors.
Once inside, initially I was distinctly underwhelmed, until I stopped comparing it to the Cathedral in Exeter. 
The vaulting is different but interesting.
A beautiful screen.
And some pretty chapels.
Buckfast is a peaceful place, the part that filled me with joy was an amazing stained glass area, where photography was not allowed. I’d go back just to see that again. I did manage to buy a postcard of part of it, 
But you will get a better idea here.
Now, once I went outside to the gardens, I really started to enjoy Buckfast. There’s a lavender garden, but it was past it’s best, as well as a sensory and a physic garden.
So this is Buckfast, a tranquil place to spend and hour or two. They have a restaurant and gift shop, as well as a conference centre. Visiting, and parking is free, so if you’re driving along the Devon Expressway why not call in?
I’m tempted to link to Jo’s Monday walk, because I didn’t sit down for a couple of hours even if i didn’t walk very far, and I don’t think she’ll tell me off!
No, sweetheart, I won’t tell you off for not sitting down for 2 hours, and certainly not for linking to mine. 🙂 🙂 This is beautiful, Gilly. I love the brick vaulting in the abbey and I had a look at the lovely stained glass too. What an unusual name the abbot had! Norse, maybe, or from Brittany? And the grounds just make it a pleasure to visit. Thanks, hon. Have a good week! 🙂
Oh brings back very happy childhood memories 😊
It’s a while since we were here, so thanks for the re-visit, Gilly.
Don’t think I’ve been…perhaps next time I’m in Devon!
Well worth the visit Gilly, thanks… I have heard of it and even passed it but never visited. Must try to do so…
The sense of tranquility is felt through your photographs. Those grapes in sunlight looked so tempting!
Those ceilings go on and on. Even small walks count as far as I am concerned!
What a lovely place to visit! What time of the year is best?
Hi Mary-Anne, the garden was probably at it’s best in late July, the lavender would have looked good then, but the abbey all year. Are you planning a trip to England? 🙂
This year, we will be visiting the Scandinavian countries. But we have been talking about visiting your stomping grounds next.
Have you been before?
To Scandinavia, no. To the British Isles, yes. But only to London and places within 1-3 hours by train. We’ve been a couple of times.
What a beautiful place!
Beautiful place, it’s nice to see what it’s really like as all I knew about it before was the tonic wine beloved of Glasgow neds.
A grand place with a beautiful garden .. Lovely images 😃
Does being on my feet for three hours in the garden this afternoon count as a walk? Well I did manage quite a few steps! I think a stroll around the garden and the abbey is most suitable and I very much appreciated it as I must have been here – but I was only 12 and staying in Buckfastleigh with my parents on my penultimate family holiday. Memorable only for the fact that our car broke down on our last day and we had to extend the stay when we were supposed to be going to London… time for a revisit I think.
The similarity to Exter’s is dead on. I know exactly what you are talking about as I still distinctively remember that ceiling look-alike. 😉
A really beautiful place, Gilly. That was a great idea to insert the postcard scan. I would be very disappointed to visit a place and be banned from taking photos. Like you, I would spend more time in the gardens.
I knew that Jo wouldn’t disqualify you. 🙂 Such a pretty garden, and I bet that window was magnificent in the flesh. 🙂