Buckland Abbey

Buckland Abbey was founded as a Cistercian abbey in 1278 by Amicia, Countess of Devon and was a daughter house of Quarr Abbey, on the Isle of Wight. It was one of the last Cistercian houses founded in England and also the most westerly. For its late date, the church was unusually simple, being without aisles. Most of this church survives within the present house - the arches supporting the tower can be seen in the top floor, and one of the transept chapels retains its vault. The monks would have lived in buildings around a cloister to the north of the church. These have disappeared, but the building now called Tower Cottage may have been part of the abbot's house.

In the 15th century the monks built a Tithe Barn which survives to this day. Another survival is a building now known as the Guest House, but probably originally 14th or 15th century stabling.

Buckland remained an abbey until the Dissolution of the Monasteries by Henry VIII. In 1541 Henry sold Buckland to Sir Richard Grenville the Elder who began to convert the abbey into a residence. The abbey is unusual in that the church was retained as the principal component of the new house whilst most of the remainder was demolished, which was a reversal of the normal outcome with this type of redevelopment. The main external changes were the demolition of the transepts, to let light into a central hall under the tower, and the addition of a new service wing on the south side.

Following a restoration between 1948 and 1951 the property has been open to the public since 1951. The Plymouth City Museum and Art Gallery use the building to house part of their collection. A number of independent craft workshops are located in the converted ox sheds. The Cider House garden includes both a wild garden and a kitchen garden. There is also a medieval Great Barn next to the house.

Address
Buckland Monachorum, Yelverton, United Kingdom

Established
1278