Day 10 - Wales: Tintern Abbey and Village

(From the website) Tintern Abbey is still standing in roofless splendor on the banks of the River Wye nearly 500 years since its tragic fall from grace.

It was founded in 1131 by Cistercian monks. In 1269 they began to build a new abbey church and didn’t stop until they’d created one of the masterpieces of British Gothic architecture. The great west front with its seven-lancet window and the soaring arches of the nave still take the breath away.

King Henry VIII’s English Reformation was well underway in 1535 and only a year later Tintern surrendered in the first round of the dissolution of the monasteries — and the great abbey began slowly to turn into a majestic ruin.

King George the 5th (Queen Elizabeth’s father) was crowned in 1911 and this tree was planted the same year to honor him.

Maggie and Martha were established in 1963 and 1962, respectively, and are dwarfed by the aging Abbey.

The Village of Tintern is near the Abbey and has shops (lots of crafts), Inns, and of course pubs.

We are checking out the Anchor Inn & Tearoom, but not the tea 😇😇😇