On a recent trip to Devon, my husband and I realized we were staying just down the road from Buckfast Abbey. We decided on a whim to take a stroll to the abbey and through their gardens.
The site was first used for an abbey in 1018, and the current gardens are inspired by medieval garden plans. There are three gardens: a lavender garden, a sensory garden, and a physic garden (with sections for medicinal, household, culinary, and even poisonous plants).
But my favorite part of the visit was after the church service ended and we crept into the church to look around. It was mostly a bit ho hum (just what you’d expect from any Catholic church) but when we reached the back we discovered a surprise: mosaic stained glass in brilliant colors. Definitely worth the trip:
Expat Linguist 