Dartington Gardens, Buckfast Abbey, and Newton Abbot

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I continue to be confused by the amount of daylight we are getting. We feel as if it's only 3:00 in the afternoon because at 9pm it is still bright and sunny out. Hence, Reagan is still awake at 10:30 pm again tonight.

Today was a busy day that filled itself with memories. I started the day feeling overwhelmed by all that I wanted to see, do and accomplish and the limited amount of time I have to do it in. So we decided to take a break in our weekly planning and head out on an adventure. Our first stop of the day was to Dartington Hall Estate and Gardens. It is a medieval stone house with a twentieth century garden on a 1,000 acre estate. "In 1925 Americans, Dorothy and Leonard Elmhirst, bought the neglected 14th century estate. Since then it has become a magnet for artists, architects, writers, philosophers and musicians from around the world.". Photographs are incapable of capturing the magnitude nor beauty of this place. (I guess I should have brought Uncle Peter along after all!)

We then visited Buckfast Abbey. The original monastery here was founded in 1018!! Today there is a magnificent church, café, bookshops, gardens, lodging and more.

It was then time for afternoon tea so we headed back to Doug and Rosemary's home.... and, home, is exactly what it felt like as soon as I entered. She is a true gardener. They have a picturesque view of the moors at Dartmoor. We began our conversation with afternoon tea and scones and didn't finish talking until well after dinner and wine. Doug gave an insightful and interesting tour of their village and church history on a walk before dinner. We entered the grounds of the 14th century church through an ancient rotating gate that was made in that particular design to fit coffins in and out. The gate gave an eerie squeak as you entered it's ancient cemetery. Certainly this was NOT a place that I would want to be in once night fell! There were some tombstones that were standing along side the outside wall of the church. The law is that once a grave has been marked for 100 years, the original marker is removed and a new body can be buried on top of it (with a new marker to identify the new resident). The old tombstones line the church wall.

I suppose it's time to wrangle up the children (since it's 11 pm!) for bed. Currently Dziadziu is playing a Wii game with the girls and they are having entirely too much fun!

Tomorrow we will visit the Exercise Tiger memorial at Slapton Sands.

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Photos

Dartington Gardens
Inside and ENORMOUS tree

Comments

[Rita]

Such Beauty
I am so connected by the photos posted here and am drawn in by your words. Don't know why I feel connected, I've never been there, perhaps in my dreams. I do know when I do visit, there will never be enough time to explore all the pageantry that beautiful countryside holds.

[Dziadziu]

Buckfast Abbey ages listed in hundreds and me