BUCKFAST ABBEY

 Buckfast Abbey is a remarkable place. It is a monastic community, and it's free to look around.

A Saxon monastery stood here as early as 1018. In 1147 the monastery became Cistercian, and the entire abbey was rebuilt in stone. After the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1539, the abbey property was sold and the abbey left to decay, but in 1882 Buckfast was re-established as a Benedictine monastery, and as such it has flourished. Buckland is famous for keeping bees and producing its own brand of honey and Buckfast Tonic Wine.

When I last visited, the bees were tended by Brother Adam, then in his 90s, who was a world authority on bee-keeping.

It's peaceful and tranquil.
There's several shops, and a restaurant that serves meals which are value for money. The excellent fish pie I had, was too large for me to finish.

The story of the abbey's existence is scarcely credible.
For Buckfast, the fateful day arrived on 25th February, 1539. It was on this day that the Abbey was destroyed by order of King Henry VIII.
Boniface Natter was blessed as Abbot on 24th February, 1903 - by pure coincidence, exactly 365 years after the closure of the medieval Abbey.
Abbot Natter was tragically drowned in a shipwreck in 1906. Anscar Vonier, who had been with Natter at the time of the shipwreck, managed to survive. Shortly after his return to Buckfast, Anscar Vonier was elected as the new Abbot.
Soon after becoming Abbot, Vonier announced to the community that his first project would be to rebuild the Abbey Church
The Abbey Church was built piecemeal, according to the funds available - but at no time did work come to a halt until the whole church was completed, thirty-two years later. The builders - normally only four monks, and never more than six - began with the east end, the sanctuary, transepts and two bays of the nave. At first, while funds were low, all the stone had to be cut and dressed by the monks. In later years, they were able to buy the stone ready-dressed from the quarries. Scaffolding was made from wooden poles, lashed together with ropes and chains. Stone was lifted with manual hoists or block and tackle.
The final stone was laid on the tower on 24th July, 1937, completing thirty-two years work.
And the result? Look here....................

The Abbey was originally founded in 1018 as a Cistercian Monastery by King Knut. It was destroyed by Henry VIII in 1539, and work started to rebuild it in 1907. Only one of the monks, Brother Peter, had any stone working experience. It is remarkable that so few monks could complete such a rebuild in just over 30 years. It was built to the original Cistercian ground plan, and now houses a small community of monks once again. 

This is the Westgate. Though built in 1984, the gateway was built with a timber frame and limestone walls to blend in with the abbey's original medieval buildings.