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Here we are at Treloyhan Manor in St. Ives in the Cornwall Region of Southern Britain.

Our biggest surprise was discovering that it is the "Surfing Center of the UK".  

Our second surprise was watching all the UK Surfers leave the waves to take "Tea".  

 

 

 

 

 

This is in front of the Manor home where we stayed during our visit.  Treloyhan Manor is part of the United Methodist Church's Christian Holiday Guild system. They have turned several Manor Homes and Castles into Christian Retreat Centers.  

Nearly every week has a theme and all their programs are geared to family vacations!  Check out our links for more information on staying there.

 Lynda at Buckingham Palace.

We have been to London three times and watched the changing of the Guard several times, but we keep missing the Official Tours of the Palace.  

Notice the bright sunshine.  Despite the UK's reputation, we have only experienced a few rainy days.

Ann Hathaway's Cottage in Stratford-upon-Avon

The home of William Shakespeare's wife.  Before their marriage, she lived here, one mile from Stratford.  It remained in her family for several hundred years and contains some of the original 16th-century furniture.  Apparently the Hathaway family did not believe in redecorating.  

And yes, it did rain this afternoon.
  


During our first trip to London, we visited the Sherlock Holmes Museum. Richard is sitting in Holmes' living room.  Amazingly, the museum receives 40-50 letters a month asking Holmes for advice.  If you visit, watch out for the mechanical snake!

Lynda in front of Tower Bridge.  

Remember . . . London Bridge is now in Arizona.   We settled for slightly smaller souvenirs on our trip!

This is taken from the Tower of London.

Stonehenge, The West Country

Believe it or not . . . this is Richard standing about seven feet from the monument.  The stones are much larger on television and in the books.  

Despite popular belief, the circle was not built by the Druids.  Tests show that it was build over 1000 years before the Druids in 3,000 BC.

Shrewsbury, The Midlands

Setting for the Brother Cadfael Mystery series by Ellis Peters.  Profits from the series went toward the abbey restoration.

PBS often runs the series featuring Derek Jacobi as the medieval monk who uses his knowledge of medicine and nature to solve mysteries in 12th century Shrewsbury.

 Tintagel Castle, Cornwall

The ruins here are from a Castle built in 1240 by Richard of Cornwall, who chose the site based on the belief that this was the birthplace of the legendary King Arthur, a belief that remained until as late as 1930.

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Tintagel Castle, Cornwall

A view from one of the remaining windows in the Castle.  It was here that legend says that Merlin took Uther Pendragon into Tintagel so that Arthur, whose birth he had foreseen, could be conceived.

On a side note, Tintagel is one of the castles featured in your Sunday Comics Section in Prince Valiant.  Richard wonders if anyone actually reads the Prince Valiant strip.  Send an email, if you do!

Glastonbury Abbey, Wessex

Founded around 700, alleged to be the last resting place of King Arthur . . . and the Holy Grail.  Arthur's bones were found at the site that is the center of the Abbey in this photo.

Growing in the abbey grounds is a cutting from the famous Glastonbury Thorn which is said to have miraculously grown from the staff of St. Joseph of Arimathea, who was sent to convert England to Christianity in 60 AD.

(Here lies Arthur, the once and future king)
HIC IACET ARTHURUS REX QUONDAM
REX FUTURUS

Richard in the window of Glastonbury Abbey across from "King Arthur's Grave".

Left in ruins in 1539 after the Dissolution of the Monasteries.  Thanks to Henry the VIII.  When King Henry split with Rome, England's religious houses, like Glastonbury, were dissolved. 

Henry appropriated (stole) their wealth and used the money to finance his foreign policy.  The buildings were slowly stripped down and used for building materials.  Only by touring these sites can you understand the breadth of Henry's policies.

Tintern Abbey, Wales

Founded by the Cistercian monks in 1131.  By the 14th century this was the richest abbey in Wales.  Dissolved in 1536. 

Wordsworth wrote "Lines composed a few miles above Tintern Abbey" on July 13, 1798.

" . . . once again do I behold these steep and
lofty cliffs, that on a wild, secluded scene impress
Thoughts of more deep seclusion. . . ."

Tintern Abbey, Wales

We are starting to take along a camera with Black and White film now, so here is a shot of us just outside the sanctuary entrance. 

Tintern Abbey, Wales

Digital Camera Photo

The abbey is now roofless and exposed, but you can still imagine the abbey with the soaring arches and windows whole again.

This abbey is only about 25 minutes from Willersley Castle, another of the Christian Holiday Guild Retreat Centers.  A great location to stay at and tour Wales.