Yanky Londoner: Last Day in the Cotswalds

We spent our last day in the Cotswalds exploring the Tewkesbury Abbey. Here is a lovely sunflower outside the entrance.

We had amazing weather during the weekend so I was able to get some good photos of the outside. Building work started in 1102 and it was built to house Benedictine monks.

Over the doorways there were some beautiful decorations.

Also, as you walked around the outside, you could see how the Abbey had changed over time. I liked this door that was blocked over at one point.

Since we had such nice weather, we took the opportunity to climb to the roof for £3. It was over 200 steps to the top and we stopped in different areas along the way. Here we are walking above the curved dome roof that you would see inside the Abbey. Thus, we were a few hundred feet above the Abbey floor.

We also walked along tiny pathways that the monks once used.

Almost to the top, we stopped in the large tower area of the Abbey. Again the floor is hundreds of feet over the Abbey floor. The wood circle can be removed to lower things into the Abbey.

Here is our guide standing on the dome roof.

Once on top, we had a great view. Here I am looking down.

In the middle of the picture you can see the Abbey Gatehouse (square building) where we stayed for the weekend.

Here I am getting blown away.

A picture of the town along the river.

After coming down, we decided to explore the inside. There were many beautiful tombs inside.

There was also a quilters club repairing some of the cushions/knee rests in the Abbey.

Some of the stain glass was also very organic and unusual.

Here is a shot of the ceiling. In my picture above with the wood beams, we were walking on top of the fake ceiling above.

The photo below shows in black what no longer exists from the Abbey. It has changed dramatically over the centuries.

Here is a photo of the center star on the ceiling. In my photos above, this is the wood circle that can be removed to lower things into the Abbey and where the guide was standing.