Buckland Abbey

After yesterday’s busy-ness we both felt like going for a peaceful walk in a shady wooded area. After a bit of research, we headed for Buckland Abbey, a National Trust property where we enjoyed the kind of walk we were looking for. We also learned something of the interesting history of this place which was built and farmed by Cistercian Monks until the dissolution of the monasteries by Henry VIII in the 16th century. The abbey was later turned into a grand house which was home to Francis Drake for some time and is now a museum informing visitors of the history of the estate. Beside the abbey is the Grand Barn (main), a huge structure which would have been used by the monks to store their produce and has remained virtually unchanged since it was built nearly 800 years ago and is one of the largest medieval barns left in England. It was beautifully built and the inside space was enormous (extra).