Buckland Abbey in Devon | Follow in Footsteps of Monks & Adventurers

Enjoy our peaceful and relaxing tour of Buckland Abbey, a spectacular cultural and historic site in southwestern England. Channel your inner monk or swashbuckling adventurer with our guide to stunning National Trust property, which is indeed a Magic Place. We hope you enjoy its mystery, serenity and majesty!
00:01 Visiting Buckland Abbey offers a connection to the cultural landscape of Devon, and a window into life over a millennia in this rugged yet enchanting area of southwest England. Buckland Abbey encompasses about 700 acres, which include ancient woodlands classed as temperate rainforests, dominated by mature oak trees covered in mosses, lichens and ferns.
1:34 - In about 1278, Amicia, Countess of Devon founded Buckland Abbey as a Cistercian monastery in Buckland Monachorum, a village in Devon located in a quiet valley above the River Tavy on the edge of Dartmoor, an area now a massive National Park. The Cistercians were known as ‘white monks’ because they did not dye their habits. Cistercian monks tended to live in large communities in wild and remote areas, where they took on major land improvement projects. Their isolation and self sustainability bred innovation. The Cisterican branch of the Benedictine order made major contributions in the culture of Medieval Europe, and Cisterican architecture is considered one of the most beautiful Medieval styles. The monks worked as ploughmen, dairymen, shepherds, carpenters and masons. Their farming skills eventually made the order one of the richest and most influential.
3:22 The Abbey’s 1.5 acre walled kitchen garden has been cultivated for centuries. The surrounding walls are believed to be seventeenth century; it's said the pear trees growing on them date back that far.
5:38 In the 12th century, the Cider House was the brew house for the Abbey. In the Medieval era, brew houses were built as much as a quarter of a mile from the house since they were a fire hazard and their noise would disturb the peace of the household.
8:58 One of the most dramatic medieval buildings to be seen at Buckland Abbey is the 15th century Great Barn. The monks built the immense Great Barn to store wool, fleece, cattle hides, and crops such as oats, wheat and fruit from their nearby orchards
9:53 The fortunes of Buckland Abbey shifted with the Dissolution of the Monasteries by Henry VIII between1536 and 1541. Henry VIII was keen to see the king becoming the ruler of the church in England and Wales and very eager to get his hands on the wealth of the monasteries. In 1541, Buckland Abbey and property were sold by the Crown to Sir Richard Grenville for £233 . Nine years later his grandson Richard the Younger inherited the estate when he was just 21 years old, and he converted the body of the main church into a Tudor mansion home.
10:04 Richard the Younger was an adventurer like his father and grandfather. His exploits included fighting the Turks in Hungary, colonizing parts of southern Ireland, and serving as the admiral of a fleet that brought settlers to America. These escapades came with a price and Grenville put Buckland Abbey up for sale after it having been owned by his family for 40 years. In 1581, Buckland Abbey was bought by two intermediaries, who unbeknownst to Grenville, were working for Sir Walter Drake, another eminent explorer of the day, whom he despised.
Grenville died while at sea in a battle with the Spanish Armada, leading his lone galleon to face 53 enemy ships. In an ironic twist of fate, the ship he captained, named "Revenge" had previously been under the command of Sir Francis Drake. Drake's exploits made him a historic figure of acclaim and notoriety. He was both a hero and a villain--an epic explorer who also was a pirate and slave trader. Drake's family owned Buckland Abbey for generations.
14:39 Buckland Abbey's Elizabethan Knot Garden was added during ownership by the Drakes. Elizabethan gardens were said to have been designed to amuse Queen Elizabeth the 1st during her reign.
17:36 The property was presented to the National Trust in 1947. A cluster of buildings that now serve as a cafe and shops date to the time of the monks, when they served as a guest house, infirmary and oxyard. Today, visitors to Buckland Abbey can follow in the footsteps of monks and adventurers
Live at Buckland Abbey for a few days!
www.cider-house.co.uk/
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[@tomlaws9927]

An incredible setting with a rich history!

[@Magicplaces1]

Thanks Tom! You are right, it is the combination of the area's beauty and the built heritage that makes it such a compelling destination!