Advertisement
Published: January 8th 2022
This time last year I had refused to purchase a Wisdom of the East calendar which had doubled in price probably due to the Covid pandemic . Well everything seems these days to be blamed on Brexit or the pandemic so why not my special calendar . At first I missed ripping off the pages every day. It was one of those morning rituals like cleaning your teeth where I wondered if the thought would be simple or complicated , thought provoking and worth keeping in order to incorporate them into my blog ramblings, Or would it be discounted and discarded as some proved to be tooo philosophical. They went over my head . After a while I stopped thinking about them and forgot that I had no calendar. This year though was going to be different .
This year I made sure I picked up the 2022 copy before the prices went through the roof again. I returned to the therapeutic affect of wondering what the day would bring and how the thought of the day would affect me
Todays thought was from Tao Shan - " Give up struggling to make sense of it all and get
on with life" and it felt rather apt. I have been struggling coming to terms with not travelling- that itch that was not being scratched . I was getting fed up with all the restrictions forced upon me by the welsh government . I guess after reading the thought of the day that it did make me think about life at the moment . Perhaps I should stop struggling trying to make sense of everything and just get on with what I could . It was after all another year another day of Covid restrictions 656 days in fact and it was stretching ahead of me. What should we do with the day ? Swimming - got that one out of my system and felt better for it . Two cups of strong espresso drunk by 10.00 . A plan was being hatched which involved a reasonably short drive over the border in Shropshire and England , lunch and then a visit to an abbey. Sounded a good plan and I set about finding the co-ordinates for the journey . With those in hand Silly Sat Nag was ignored at first as we knew our way to Telford like the
backs of our hands. The co-ordinates would only come into play after lunch and we needed to get to Buildwas .
The weather had turned cold and wintery . We were seeing more sleet and a coating of snow on the nearby mountains . The wind was chilly and the temperatures felt quite low . I wondered what I expected for January . It was winter after all and we have another couple of months of this sort of weather to look forward to. This time last year the rain had fallen incessantly , the river was up and had flooded the nearby fields rendering the roads inaccessible . The village was cut off , the national press were around , the lifeboats were out and we were wondering what on earth had made us buy a house so close to the river . What a difference a year has made . The river is slightly up today but nothing like the problems of last year have materialised yet . There is still time though and we could find ourselves flooded out in the village again next week, next month . In fact right up to Spring . Today
though it was the cold and damp that was penetrating deeply through our coats, scarves, gloves and hats .
So where in the world was Gabby? She was still parked up on our drive. Languishing in a sea of misery of not travelling . We make the point of checking her over weekly and have been inside her this week . We had given her the once over and checked her batteries . They are the main concern with so little sunshine at this time of year . Checking the batteries is a ritual we undertake every so often . . We place our finger on the control panel and it lights up and gives us the readings we want to see. Despite the low sun they were holding up well . 99% charged up and the engine battery at 12.7 volts . We could not complain too much about that . It was a shame we could not take her out . Perhaps we will get out in her towards the end of this week . She does need filling up with fuel and her LPG tanks need a top up. We have a plan of a trip
out to Criccieth at the end of the week to see the castle . A castle we have been past many times but never visited . Another one of those Edward I castles built to subdue my nation.
But today was Buildwas abbey and first we had the 40 minute drive to Telford for the well deserved and much looked forward to lunch . After that short break we would be heading for Buildwas Abbey.
We drove towards Telford - to Shawbirch where we planned to have dinner at the Toby Carvery . Having been there before Christmas and enjoyed the meal it seemed a good option . Cheap and cheerful . What could go wrong ? We knew what we would be getting . We knew how much it would cost . It was never going to be haute cuisine but it was always good value . You know what you are going to get although each Toby Inn seems to have a slightly different take on the vegetables they serve .
On the way we talked about speed cameras . Had I been caught on my way home from the hairdressers ? I never saw
it flashing at me so perhaps I was safe. I was miles away as I drove down the hill . A lorry coming the other way obscured the camera . I did not see it flash . Perhaps I had been OK and not driving over 30mph. Then there was another speed camera this morning on my way to the chiropodist . I must have been half asleep driving past that one . . Still I couldnt change anything so had to wait and see what happens next if anything . Fourteen days waiting for the summons to come . No point worrying . Whichever way it went I could not alter it one jot.
We talked about the wanton damage to the Colston statue in Bristol and the subsequent trial . The young who had pulled down the statue had daubed it with paint before throwing it into the river . They had been arrested and the trial took place just a few days ago. The jury let the crowd off leaving us wondering if it left the floodgates open to anyone damaging property being able to get away with it because a precedent had been set .
I wondered what reasons the jury had come up with to justify the not guilty verdict . It was clear that they had a reason to do what they did . It was clear that they had damaged public property . There should have been some punishment - a fine, community payback . But nothing . We agreed we were surprised on the verdict . We could understand both sides but the decision seemed an odd one. But then life is odd at the moment .
Perhaps the world was turning on its head. Topple what you like - you will not be punished . Break the law - you won't be chastised for any action . . And then there was the announcement from the First Minister . An announcement we knew was coming and we knew what he was likely to say . Another week of lockdown . Another week where no sport could expect spectators. The first minister had suggested that it was England that was out of step with the rest of the world and that Wales was doing the right thing. I was struggling to make sense of any of that . From today
though if you live in England and I would hope Wales you can travel abroad if the country will let you in without a PCR test if you are double vaccinated and presumably had the booster jab . So a glimmer of hope . Added to that no PCR test before return and only a lateral flow test on Day 2. Perhaps we will get away on holiday . Although Europe still may not let us in . Are we further forward - would herd immunity have been a better option . We just had little idea but knew that this time next week the First Minister would again be reviewing the situation in Wales and once again probably would still to the same lockdown restrictions for another week . I wanted to tell him to let me take my own risk . I was seriously getting fed up of doing the right things and not getting anywhere . It looked as if the whole of January would go the same way as 2019 and 2020.
Lunch proved less attractive than the previous offering . It was a Friday and we were slightly later in arriving . There were
slightly more people in eating but still plenty of room . The hand scrubs were outside . We wore masks up until the point we sat at the table and ordered our drinks .The carvery was open . There was the usual choice of three meats . Beef - cooked to a pinkness by a different chef . That would not have been to everyones taste . A small piece of gammon - Gammon seemed popular today and had been hacked to almost nothing . And a very large turkey . The Yorkshire puddings were massive. The two left had been under the heat for too long . Probably freshly put out for 12 but now at 12.40 they were overcooked and felt as if we were eating rocks . Mashed potato, fluffed potato, carrots , green runner beans , cauliflower cheese but the stuffing had all gone . Peas , leaks and potatoes in something creamy. It was slightly disappointing. Certainly not as good as last time we called round . It was filling and we admitted although less appealing than our pre-Christmas meal it was marginally better than the one at the Cross Foxes . At least the
vegetables were cooked and not almost raw . . Perhaps next time it would be better and more like the pre-Christmas meal . Still it was better than sitting at home and no doubt we would return if we were ever this way . I had a list of Shropshire places to visit but had to admit I was getting near to the end of them and would have to search either further afield for places to visit or go in a different direction if we were to do this trip out once a week .
We set off and drove around the outskirts of Telford . A town which had grown over the years swallowing up all the nearby small villages . Buildwas was like all abbeys built in a secluded part of the county. Away from prying eyes . Hidden by trees . We parked up at Buildwas Abbey . Almost missing it as the sign was well hidden . It was still secluded even in 2022 and hard to find .There was parking for a handful of cars . We stopped at the first parking and then realised in the distance we could see one other
car That car turned out to be the volunteers car . So on we drove getting a little closer to the short walk to the abbey.
. It was a short walk too , across a muddy path and then we climbed a few steps and arrived to see the abbey in front of us . What a sight . It was austere. Its stones blackened with age but what a substantial building to still survive almost intact . Everywhere we walked was muddy under foot . We had the place though to ourselves so no need for masking up. It was in a stunning spot but then all abbeys are built in out of the way locations . Most peaceful spots . Spots miles away from any civilisation . The site is looked after by English Heritage and we would have been able to get in free with our Cadw cards . However as it was winter the entry fees had been waived . The offices were now being used as a second hand book shop . The proceeds were used to maintain the abbey. The volunteer came over to us and explained the free entry, the book shop and asked us to be very careful not to fall over the metal covers that littered the grounds . They were being used to protect the fragile stone work and tiles . We picked our way across the site carefully . The covered stones reminded me of Winter 1999 or thereabouts when I went on a trip to Austria . Vienna and Saltzburg had covered all their fountains with woodwork to protect them from the harsh winter weather . Funny how the covered stones here made me think back to that snow trip to Austria all those years ago.
Buildwas Abbey was a Cistercian monastery located on the River Severn founded in 1135. We stood for a while looking at what appeared to be a very substantial building . It once was a great centre of learning and housed a library. .It must have attracted pilgrims and the learned to its libraries and would have attracted donations along the way. It would have provided some work for the villagers of nearby Buildwas and perhaps Much Wenlock and there would have been some kind of hospital facility where the monks would have ministed to the health of community . Spiritual and physical needs sorted .
It had been dissolved like many abbeys as part of Henry VIII's dissolution of the monasteries . In the 13th century it had been very wealthy and the abbey owned many estates locally. All of which brought money into the complex . The walls were very thick and the columns were heavy and without any real ornamentation . There was little sign of any carved stone. But it was still clear that this had been an important building . It sat impressively in its valley setting . It appears that from visitors comments that the abbey was less than moral with unsatisfactory standards whatever that meant . The mind boggled . It was called a less than virtuous site. Some of the monks lead less than charitable or virtuous lives . This helped to lead to its demise .
The building had not been altered much and it was easy standing in front of it to imagine what it must have looked like . The roof had gone but most of the building was well preserved . Whilst Lilleshall had a more dainty look Buildwas was more a building that showed its strength.
It was described as the best example of a 12th century Cistercian abbey in the Britain. We had been to many over the years and we did try to compare and contrast it with others but always had the idea that each was different . Defined by the community who lived and worshipped in them and by the local building materials . The roof had been stripped at some point of its lead and the lead together with the bells were sold for scrap for £97. Once the roof came off the decay began. The buildings had contained the abbots quarters, an infirmary , a presbytery , wash drains and a priscina . The nave was 50 metres long and nearly 27 metres wide. Massive columns flanked the nave . All of which were pretty plain without much decoration. It was a relatively austere building with traces of altars .
We walked across the grass to the cloisters taking the same steps as the monks would have taken all those years ago. There had been a sacristy where the vestments and the treasures were safely stored . There were small chapels and the floors of the chapels were highly decorated with medieval tiles . Reds and yellows . Trefoils and birds . I wondered if they had been made locally as were in the heart of what was to become the cradle of the Industrial Revolution .
We had read stories that there was nothing to see at Buildwas but that was not true . In its time the abbey had withstood the murder of an abbott reputedly by one of the monks of the abbey. Raiders from across the border in Powys pillaged the abbey taking with them its treasures . They took the abbot and hiss monks prisoners . During the welsh uprising of Owain Glyndwr the abbey was attacked again and as always its fortunes declined with the arrival of the Black Death . All of these events had shaped the life of the abbey.
By now we had gone full circle and were back at our starting point . Our photographs taken , It was time to head back to Ziggy and put in the co-ordinates for our next stop along the journey along the River Severn .
Advertisement
Tot: 0.081s; Tpl: 0.017s; cc: 13; qc: 31; dbt: 0.0468s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.2mb
Jackie
non-member comment
Spain!
Fed up with Dripford!! Does he not realise that England is unable to be as strict as Wales, Scotland and NI as England is the cogs that keep the UK turning!! Anyhow, fed up with it all now! Our friend in London has covid - she had a mild cold for 1 day!! We are off to Spain in 2 weeks for a month- unable to drive as France wont let us in...so flying it is!!