Steve and I were able to make a half-day trip with Laura-Jane and Mathias.....in their car.....with Laura-Jane perfectly maneuvering the hectic city traffic and dodging animals on the country roads. We went to Buckland Abbey, which became a private estate....once owned by Francis Drake. Here are some of the photos from this trip!Above: Buckland Abbey.Above: View of the side of Buckland Abbey....with sheep sculptures. Why sculptures? I have no idea. There certainly were enough real ones all over the place!Above: When converted into a private residence, the church building wasn't really changed....just used as a building design....fitting staircases around transept arches!The stairs were works of art in and of themselves!Everywhere there were elegant new additions to the otherwise ancient building....like the flower arrangements and the late 20th century etched glass.This stained glass sun dial was also "new" but blended into the elegant interior perfectly.Many of the ceilings and floors were centuries old. This plaster ceiling was new....but based on historic designs. Buckland Abbey still has bees producing honey!There were plenty of antiques.....from jugs to armor to kitchen implements and handmade furniture.Believe it or not, this is the barn!Inside was a gigantic cider press.On top was a great weather vane.It is not where the farm animals, like these sheep, live.Yet, where ever the animals live, they're greatly loved. This is one of several plaques with the NAMES OF THE CHICKENS living at Buckland Abbey!To get to the Abbey and continue on to Lydford, we had both sheep and these ponies on the road!In Lydford's there is an ancient parish church, St. Petrock's....still very much in use....and with a glorious churchyard full of fantastic epitaphs (including a most famous one for a clock maker) and angel carvings on the late 18th c. grave stones. Yes, I made some rubbings on fabric.....before.........ending the day in a 16th pub called "The Castle Inn". It was GREAT!
