Buckland Abbey

An Ancient Gem, Buckland Abbey

Buckland Abbey Today

Discovery, tranquillity and history Buckland Abbey is an ancient gem in the Tavy Valley landscape.

When you visit Buckland Abbey, you follow over 700 years of footsteps; from the Cistercians who built the Abbey and farmed the estate, to seafarers Grenville and Drake who changed the shape of the house and the fate of the country. The Abbey is part museum, part house, and filled with treasures. There’s no mistaking the magnificence of the medieval Great Barn, originally a tithe barn which has remained virtually unchanged since it was built all those centuries ago.

You’ll discover meadows, orchards and woodlands where you can enjoy far-reaching views of the Tavy Valley. Our way-marked trails are a riot of colour through the seasons, with an unmissable carpet of bluebells in spring. At the Cider House garden, herbaceous borders provide seasonal interest and a secret ‘wild’ garden is a wonderful place for quiet contemplation (or a game of hide and seek).

History

Buckland Abbey was one of the last Cistercian houses to be founded in England and it was also the most westerly. The Great Barn is one of the largest medieval barns remaining in the country. The presence of quarries from which stone was derived for the construction of the abbey is also an unusual feature. The abbey was converted into an Elizabethan mansion by Sir Richard Grenville and subsequently became the home of Sir Francis Drake, two important figures in the history of Elizabethan England who have acquired an heroic and legendry national identity. Drake also has international historical connections. Grenville's adaptation of the abbey church into a dwelling, rather than the more usual adaptation of part of a claustral range, is of interest. In particular, the conversion of the presbytery, the most sacred part of the abbey, into a serving area between the hall and kitchens, demonstrates an aggressive invasion of the secular into a sacred space which gives an insight into the emergence and growth of rationalism and sectarianism following the Reformation, and Grenville's understanding and interpretation of these trends in thought.

Sir Francis Drake (1540-1596) was one of the most renowned explorers of the Elizabethan era. Following his successful circumnavigation of the globe in 1580, he became hugely rich, nationally famous and internationally infamous. This year, a full-length portrait of Drake from the National Portrait Gallery has ‘come home’ to Buckland Abbey in Devon, the former Cistercian Abbey that Drake purchased with his new-found wealth. Curator Alison Cooper considers how both Buckland Abbey and this iconic portrait were potent symbols in the projection of Drake's new status and identity.

Sir Francis Drake

Christmas at Buckland Abbey

They have a woodland wonderland where you will be able to feel the festive vibes with a Christmas tree forest in the Great Barn leading to the large Buckland estate tree. Follow the twinkling lights of the trees as you meander your way through the forest. But the path is not actually a path....it is a River of Light to make you feel like you are walking through a river. As you walk through the barn you will be immersed in the river of light which has been created using rippling lights of blue tone colours. You might also spot the odd fish or two on the side of the barn walls, this wonderful attraction is open from Saturday 4th December 2021. 

Christmas Tree Forest in the Great Barn, Buckland Abbey

Head into the abbey to see the house fully decorated this year, as it transforms into an Elizabethan home of feast and festivity. Come and see the cascade in the abbey, as it decends down the Georgian staircase with over 700 decorations, all made by their wonderful volunteer costume group. Collectively, many hundreds of hours have been spent working on this project. There are around 600 individual pieces, all handmade and many involving extensive research. Whether at the Abbey, at home (and even on holiday!) volunteers have been busy creating since before the pandemic. As the Abbey transforms into a festive Tudor home, they have even teamed up with a local florist who has beautifully decorated the fireplaces and staircases. A must visit this Christmas time!

Olde Father Christmas has returned from his year off and is looking forward to greeting visitors at Buckland Abbey again. Traditional Olde Father Christmas dressed all in green has been very busy working on his own in the North Pole this year (alot of his elves had to work from home last year) so he needs your help. Instead of telling stories, Father Christmas will be meeting small groups of children in the kitchen around the crackling fire and he will be asking you to create some Christmas magic and make a small toy. 

Olde Father Christmas at Buckland Abbey

You also have the chance to watch some traditional Elizabethan dancing in the Great Hall as you are transported back in time to when Buckland Abbey would have been bought to life with laughter and dancing at Christmas time. Dust off your dancing shoes and step into Christmas with Renaissance Historical Dance Society. With a festive masked fairy-tale to enjoy, there is something for everyone to enjoy! You should also bring your best singing voice when visiting Buckland Abbey at Christmas as every weekend leading up to Christmas local choirs, musicans and singing groups perform some festive classics around the large Christmas tree in the Great Barn.

Sources Used:

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1018366

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/buckland-abbey

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/features/sir-francis-drake-comes-home-exhibition-at-buckland-abbey

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/buckland-abbey/features/christmas-in-the-abbey