Temple Shutdown for Maintenance, (first week) 8-12 September 2015

We enjoyed breakfast in the hotel, packed our bags, and headed to Buckland Abbey.  It began as an abbey for monks and then during King Henry VIII's eradication of the Catholic church, part of it was destroyed and the monks left.  It was later converted into a house and was owned by Sir Richard Grenville and then by Sir Francis Drake, whose descendants have owned the property since.

The monastic barn of extraordinary size is just that - very large!

 Farm equipment of various uses.

 How is this for a cider press!

 Inside the barn.

 Looking into the barn. . . .

. .and out of the barn through the same door.

 Front of the abbey with Dad and the lizard.

I like doors.

 Making the abbey its home is an original self-portrait of Rembrandt wearing a white feathered bonnet.  We watched a video of the authenticity of the painting and read other displays concerning it and the artist.

A box piano.  We were not allowed to play it. 

 A view outside.  I like the windows although they would be a bugger to clean.

 Playing "dress-up."

 Sir Francis Drake's Coat of Arms.  The inscription means "Thus great things from small things come."

 Winding stair case.

Taking a stroll on the grounds.

 More doors!

 We had a small meal at the cafe and then took our journey north across the rolling hills enjoying the bright day and the landscape.  Some of the roads were very narrow, so narrow in fact that one car had to pull his side mirror in, in order to pass us!  It was a bit scary at times.

We crossed the River Tamar and that put us in Cornwall County, known for its breath-taking coast line.  We were headed to Tintagel Castle, the supposed birth place of King Arthur.

We parked in this car park and headed down the road to the castle.  It is situated on the distant hill by the sea.

 At this elevation you get a clearer picture of the castle up ahead.

 We continued our walk along the trail and reached the visitors' centre.  You can barely see it in the bottom right of the photo.

 We showed our membership cards and were granted access to the property.  Coming out from the office, we looked right out into a cove.  As we crossed the bridge to head up the steps to the castle, you could see tourists below on the beach of the cove and their dogs were swimming in the cove.  At first I thought they were seals, they looked so sleek and smooth in their swimming.

 There were many steps to climb and we took rests here and there.  We made it to part of the castle ruins with the sea in the background.

 The cove from the top.

 A water cave.

 We were surprised to see these two goats having a leisurely lunch on the side of the cliff.

 Cornwall Coastline

 On top looking back to land.  So much to see of beautiful sea and land.  The warm sun and breeze were exhilarating.

 Another view of the cove.  The colors were so intense.

 The waterfall in the cove.

 It says this is a 19th century gateway and wall.  I guess someone upgraded the structure at some time.

 We crossed the bridge to go back.  At this point Dad went on down and I climbed the 124 steps to the top of the headland part of the castle.  The guide said there are approximately 600 steps in total of both sides of the castle.

It was a spectacular view back to the castle and the sea.

We were both exhausted when we got back to the centre and took the Range Rover ride back to the car park which was uphill the whole way.  We got back to the car and decided we would head back home.  It took 5 1/2 hours with a couple of stops.  It was a pleasant trip and we were happy to make it safely home.

The rest of the week was filled with laundry, cleaning, haircuts, shopping, doctors, etc.  I worked on quilt squares and Dad did research about our trip to Ireland next week and scanned all of his rotas from since we have been here.  We prepared the Primary lesson as well.  One day we took the bus to Crawley and then another one to Gatwick to see if they would get us there in time for our flight to Ireland next week.  We did some shopping along the way and had lunch before heading home.

On Friday, we went to the White Cliffs of Dover, Great Britian's world famous natural landmark.

Driving through town, we caught a view of Dover Castle.  I wonder what it would be like to see a castle in your home town all the time? 

 Winding up Castle Road gave us this view.

  We parked and got situated to make the 2 mile walk to the South Foreland Lighthouse.  We saw ferry and after ferry taking vehicles to France and bringing others to England.  It was indeed a busy port.  You can see the castle to the far right.

 Lizard Time!

 The cliffs offer unsurpassed views of the English Channel, the world's busiest shipping lane.

 The cliffs are stunning in their white majesty and sheer drop to the ocean.  There were many trails to choose from and we enjoyed the various views from the ones we traversed. Dad is enjoying this view.

 Looking back at Dad.

There is a wide stretch of farmland just past the park and it made a marked contrast from shades of brown to the shades of green of the park.   We went at a steady pace but seemed to hurry the steps as the lighthouse came into sight and we could see the end.  See the white speck straight ahead?

 

 

 There were not many flowers but these were pretty.

  The day was bright sun and a nice breeze.  A sweater was not needed all of the time.  There was a haze in the sky that masked the French coastline.

South Foreland Lighthouse, built in 1843, guided shipping around the treacherous Goodwin Sands.  A life saving beacon for mariners, it was the first lighthouse in the world to use an electric light.

We arrived, used the toilets, and bought a bite to eat and drink.  Sitting down was restful and very pleasant.  We enjoyed our tour of the lighthouse in understanding better the history of them and how one works.  This one has been decommissioned since the advent of GPS.  It is well maintained as a tourist attraction inviting visitors to climb the steps, listen to the guide, and turn the crank for the light to turn.

 We walked out onto the platform, 45 feet high, and could see for great distances in all directions.  It was indeed a panoramic view of the area.  Again, it was too bad the French coastline was hidden.

 Bob & Barbara atop the South Foreland Lighthouse, with France in the distance.

This view shows a trail, the green line, going back in the direction of the car park.  We decided to take this way back.

After our tour we bought an ice cream and a magnet and then headed back to the car park.  The path between the fields was level, making it easier to walk.  

It wasn't long before the lighthouse was off in the distance and we were reaching our destination.

Saturday was a catch up day with laundry and cleaning the flat.  We enjoyed Sunday with church and our Primary class.  The afternoon got long and we decided to go for a walk to see who was on the property.  We stopped in at the Visitors' Centre and visited with the Pinegar's, then to see Sister George.  On the way back to our flat we saw a light on in the Orton's flat so we stopped to say hi.  They had just gotten in from their week of travels.  We visited and then called the Tooleys to play cards.  They came over and we had a great time playing.

Monday found us back on the road, headed to Stratford-Upon-Avon.  Halie said we needed to watch a Shakespeare play there.  We had tickets for Henry V.  

The joys of English roads!  You can see how the trees are starting to turn.

We drove through rain and it was still raining when we got to Henley street.  I wanted to check out a couple of the shops again.  After that we had a bite to eat and then walked to the Harvard House. 

Thomas Rogers built the property in 1596.  His daughter, Katherine, married Robert Harvard.  Two years later their son, John was born.  He later married and he and his wife emigrated to Massachusetts America.  John Harvard worked as a preacher and teaching elder in Newtowne, (later to become Cambridge) where the Massachusetts Bay Colony had set up a fund for the founding of a new college. John died of tuberculosis in 1638, bequeathing £750 to the fund – in excess of £3 million today – along with his library of 230 books.  He brought the books with him from England when he sailed to America.

Harvard House - 16th Century Elizabethan Town House

Writing Box.  Made me think of the one I bought in Cavendish.

 The fire hook sits on the third floor to use in case of fire.  It is used to pull down the thatched roof so as not to burn.

Stained glass window has survived from its beginning when the house was built.

We waited in the doorway until the rain let up enough for us to venture back out onto the streets.  On our way to Hall's Croft, we came upon these buildings.

The town optometrist.  Made us think of Bob.

These Almshouses were built by the Guild of the Holy Cross in the early 15th Century, to provide homes for aged local people and this use has continued down to the present time.

 The Guild Chapel of Stratford-Upon-Avon was founded in 1269.  Though it incorporates portions of original work, most of the present building is of fifteenth century date.

 A door at the chapel.

A beautiful well maintained tudor building.

Hall's Croft was the home of William Shakespeare's daughter, Susanna, and her husband John Croft. John was a physician and with his success and her handsome dowery, their home was large and spacious, unlike most of the homes during the early 1600s.

 High chair.

 Notice how the table can expand its length.

 This is quite the fire place for cooking in the kitchen.

 Roomy bedrooms with plenty of furnishings.

We made our way back down the streets through the rain to the car.  We were happy to be dry and out of the rain.  We headed to  Mary Arden's Farm.

This is the childhood home of William Shakespeare's mother.  It is a working tudor farm today, complete with farm animals, sounds, and smells.  The rain had kept tourists away but here was a group we joined in with to learn about life on the farm when Mary was a child.  From the size of the home and farm, her father was well off and worked hard to maintain the farm and provide for his family.

The kitchen is still used today to prepare and cook meals from the organic produce grown on the farm. 

 The regular dining table for the family.

 Smaller table for a more intimate meal.

 The upper floor was decked out in sleeping quarters for the parents, small children, and the other children.

 The low door reveals their use of all the space.

 Anyone for a sleep over?  How about some spinning while there?

 How about this grinder?

Guides and workers on the farm were in period dress.

 We were able to watch a falconry display with Millie the Owl.  It was impressive to watch her fly away and then return at his command. 

Millie is a white owl and also known as a "ghost owl" and a "love owl."

We moved into one of the barns for the rest of the display as it became very windy and rainy.  Millie will not fly in the wind as she is around 9 ounces in weight and the wind can buffet her around pretty good.

Our tour was drawing to a close and we headed to the hotel to check in.  We ate dinner and then were off to the play at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre.  

Our first Mexican meal since being here.  Dad had a burrito and I had nachos.  It was good but certainly not Chile Pepper!

We had to walk a fair distance and the wind was pretty brisk and cold.  I do believe summer is over.  We found our seats on the upper circle and had a good view of the stage and the actors.  Our space was very small and tight with no wiggle room.  We watched Henry V, a Shakespeare play in Stratford-Upon-Avon.  I was impressed with the lengthy parts the actors gave without hesitation or question.  It was well done.