Friends' of the Cathedral recent outing to Buckfast Abbey

A party of 37 Friends of Truro Cathedral visited Buckfast Abbey in Devon on 26 April 2023 the home of a community of Benedictine monks.  St Benedict's rule of hospitality was certainly honoured during the course of our visit.  On arrival, the coach was met by a guide who handed all a map of the Abbey grounds. 

Our visit commenced with attending Mass in the Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament.  The Chapel was built in 1968 and is dominated by the magnificent stained glass window of the Last Supper.  We then had a delicious lunch in the Grange Restaurant before visiting the Monastic Way Exhibition an immersive presentation of Benedictine monastic life from its origins to the present day.  A very informative talk followed this in the Abbey church.  We were told that work started in 1907 based upon the original Cistercian foundations and that the final capping stone was laid on the Abbey church in 1937.  We were all amazed that a team of no more than 6 monks could have completed the work as only one, Brother Peter, had any experience as a mason.

We arrived back in Truro at 6pm having, what was generally considered, a wonderful day out and many stated they intended to make a return visit.

The Friends' of Truro Cathedral