Graceful columns found when stepping inside the ruins of Tintern Abbey.
Between 1536-1540 (depending on which brochure I read) King Henry VIII declared the Dissolution of the Monasteries during the Protestant Reformation and his break from the Catholic Church. Armies scoured the country— leaving most monasteries in ruin as soldiers took the lead to make cannon balls. Jane and I visited four very different abbeys that had existed at that time and earlier.
Malmesbury, believed to be the oldest inhabited town in England, has a 12th Century abbey. The original spire and tower both collapsed well before the Reformation. Only the nave remained and became part of the active Abbey as part of the Reformation. It is believed that the first King of England is buried nearby while his coffin resides inside the church.
The contrast between the active church and the remaining walls was interesting. Part of the old monastery grounds now houses the Abbey House Gardens (previous garden blog).
Tewkesbury Abbey survived the dissolution of the monasteries in 1540 when the townspeople bought it from King Henry VIII for the sum of 453 pounds. Although the original church was consecrated in 1121, the current Abbey is 900 years old. It is considered one of the largest parish churches in England.
The armies of King Henry VIII destroyed the churches primarily for the lead. The people of Tewkesbury paid the King the value of the lead and saved the church.
The roof arches were indeed stunning.
Tintern Abbey, on the border of Wales and Gloucestershire, captivated me! The Cistercian Abbey was founded in 1131 and was a religious center between 1136-1536 at which time it was surrendered to the King’s “marauding visitors.” The lead was taken and 400 years of decay began. There was partial reconstruction begun in 1914. The CADW (a part of the Welsh government dedicated to preserving historic environmental and heritage sites) took over in 1984.
Our first view of the ruins of Tintern Abbey.
The following photos reflect the beauty of the area surrounding the ruins and the stunning views within the ruins.
The small windows in the middle are the only remaining original windows in Tintern Abbey.
My last photo of the Tintern Abbey ruins.
A front view of Glouchester Cathedral.
An early stained glass window featuring a knight.
A knight’s tomb inside the Cathedral.
One of the modern stained glass windows.
I have to admit that I was most fascinated by the stories of the filming of Harry Potter in the cathedral! We walked the halls used in several scenes. I watched the movies on my return so that I could compare Hogwarts School scenes with what I saw.
One of the halls used for ‘Hogwarts’ School of Wizardry’ in Harry Potter.
Downton Abbey to Harry Potter… and all the marvelous sites in between. It was quite the photographic adventure! This is my last blog on the Cotswolds. Thanks so much for joining me on the tour. —Peggy
Wandering through Time and Place 
Wonderful photos. It’s been decades since I read Wordsworth’s “Tintern Abbey,” but I just did read it again, in conjunction with your photos, and it was a delightful experience. Here’s a link to the poem for anyone interested.
I almost included the info on Wadsworth also! Thank you for adding that. Peggy
Beautiful photos !
Thank you! Peggy
What a great report of your trip through what could have been…
I love “living history” and being able to picture what I have read and learned over the years. Peggy
fascinating
I love the stunning arches! Thanks for sharing your journey with us.
Yes, I had about 30 more photos of the arches. There is something about them that pulls one in……Peggy
How wonderful it must’ve been to tour these sites. And yes, the Harry Potter thing is pretty cool too!
I have to confess that I was a Harry Potter fan from the very beginning as are my grandchildren! Peggy
Thank you. This trip offered much more than I had anticipated, always a treat when traveling. Peggy
A great journey of abbeys and history. The only abbey I ever visited was at Whitby. A great place where at the time I was there, they still sold genuinely smoked kippers.
The abbeys were a great surprise on this tour as I had no idea what to expect since the focus seemed to be gardens, gardens, gardens. More more I researched, the more intrigued I became. Peggy
Thank you Peggy for your wonderful tour of the Cotswolds. In this post I especially enjoyed the first, fourth and last photos – all beautiful, as is the entire area. I visited the Cotswolds in my late twenties and didn’t have then anything like the appreciation and awareness I have now.
Alison
I certainly understand that! I do find now that I can’t seem to get enough information about the uniqueness of places visited. I do love the stories. Peggy
Love your photos and the narratives. Especially fond of the shot where Harry Potter scenes were filmed. Tintern Abbey has always been a place I’d love to visit since the Wordsworth poem “Lines written a few miles above Tintern Abbey” was part of the anthology I used when I taught senior English. Ah, memories! Thanks for the series, Peggy. You make me long to travel to the Cotswolds. One more question: Did you take a tour or go on your own?
I joined my sister for a garden tour of the Cotswold, yes, it was with a tour company. The advantage was that all tickets and arrangements for the gardens were done in advance. The disadvantage of a tour group is the lack of flexibility of time. It is a trade off. Peggy
Thanks for the tour-along. Aren’t those arches something?
Absolutely! Peggy
Thank you. Enjoyed very much. Narrative and photos just stellar.
Thank you for the encouragement! Peggy
Wow Peggy, these are stunning!!! Great job on the post and the information that was so unbelievable. The pictures…just glorious for those of us who have yet to get a chance to witness this beauty. Again, thank you, my dear!! Sharing these now!! xoxo 😉
What a nice surprise to have you share this! Many thanks for the encouragement.
What stunning photography and breath taking architecture. Thank you for sharing the beauty of this tour.
There is joy in sharing an adventure! Peggy
Loved it all then and now! Thanks dear sister.