boxfrenzy
09-04-2010, 10:29 AM
Two unrelated events took place here at Buildwas Abbey, 668 years apart. One was a murder, the second was your intrepid reporter's first picnic of the decade.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2769/4504351373_460dea54ae.jpg
Like a lot of places I like visiting with my kids, there is not masses to see. Still, they are exciting places to run around in, climb up and down steps, fall over some old tiles and cry, urinate against a hedge, regularly have your nose blown and make a nuisance of yourself in front of member of the public. Luckily the kids are very tolerant when their father behaves like this.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4030/4504983252_6f23dd6070.jpg
This place was built in 1135, as a Savignac monastery, later being absolved into the Cistercian Order in 1147. The parts that remain are cool, built out of stone and in decent condition for 800 years or so of weathering.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4072/4504983796_b96ff5ea57.jpg
The nave was clearly a very majestic part of the abbey. Today it, like most other parts is ruined.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4022/4504349159_cc707bc638.jpg
A couple of shots in the chapel crypt, something that sounded much more exciting than it was. Still, I enjoyed it. Unfortunately, no shots of the rather cool Chapter House.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4059/4504982610_f115936a0a.jpg http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2757/4504349447_44535608af.jpg
In 1342, the abbot was murdered here by Thomas Tong, one of the monks, who, incredibly managed to evade arrest and seek re-instatement into the Cistercian order. In 1406, the abbot was kidnapped by raiders from nearby Powys. These events, plus the toll the Black Death claimed on the population meant that the abbey was in decline for it's latter years, renting out is lands and having only 4 choir monks.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4060/4504349831_e04aca29b6.jpg
If you like tiles, then there are some here for you to see. here is a picture of one of them. They are hundreds of years old, and actually quite cool.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2741/4504351109_3cebae0e75.jpg
Henry VIII gave the order to shut this place down in 1536, after nearly 400 years.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4064/4504983612_f5f5073f44.jpg
The location of the picnic was slightly out of shot and to the right. For your reference, here are the figures
crisps of the floor x6
wasps seen x1
occasions father irritated at small children talking with mouth full x3
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4043/4504350177_a7fdc93c91.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2769/4504351373_460dea54ae.jpg
Like a lot of places I like visiting with my kids, there is not masses to see. Still, they are exciting places to run around in, climb up and down steps, fall over some old tiles and cry, urinate against a hedge, regularly have your nose blown and make a nuisance of yourself in front of member of the public. Luckily the kids are very tolerant when their father behaves like this.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4030/4504983252_6f23dd6070.jpg
This place was built in 1135, as a Savignac monastery, later being absolved into the Cistercian Order in 1147. The parts that remain are cool, built out of stone and in decent condition for 800 years or so of weathering.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4072/4504983796_b96ff5ea57.jpg
The nave was clearly a very majestic part of the abbey. Today it, like most other parts is ruined.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4022/4504349159_cc707bc638.jpg
A couple of shots in the chapel crypt, something that sounded much more exciting than it was. Still, I enjoyed it. Unfortunately, no shots of the rather cool Chapter House.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4059/4504982610_f115936a0a.jpg http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2757/4504349447_44535608af.jpg
In 1342, the abbot was murdered here by Thomas Tong, one of the monks, who, incredibly managed to evade arrest and seek re-instatement into the Cistercian order. In 1406, the abbot was kidnapped by raiders from nearby Powys. These events, plus the toll the Black Death claimed on the population meant that the abbey was in decline for it's latter years, renting out is lands and having only 4 choir monks.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4060/4504349831_e04aca29b6.jpg
If you like tiles, then there are some here for you to see. here is a picture of one of them. They are hundreds of years old, and actually quite cool.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2741/4504351109_3cebae0e75.jpg
Henry VIII gave the order to shut this place down in 1536, after nearly 400 years.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4064/4504983612_f5f5073f44.jpg
The location of the picnic was slightly out of shot and to the right. For your reference, here are the figures
crisps of the floor x6
wasps seen x1
occasions father irritated at small children talking with mouth full x3
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4043/4504350177_a7fdc93c91.jpg