Bourton-on-the-Water, Snowshill Manor, Hailes Abbey

It was a bit drizzly when I arrived at Bourton-on-the-Water.

I then popped into Snowshill Manor.

Snowshill was the home of Charles Paget Wade who not to beat about the bush was an eccentric. He packed his house full of stuff (the collection amounts to 22,000 items!) and lived in outbuildings. Don't expect any great works of art but it is fascinating!

I had a nice Squash and garden Carrot soup, I passed on the bread and had a scone with it :)

Hailes Abbey is a Cistercian Foundation that was famed for having a vial of the Blood of Christ. Predating the church is Hailes Church (which I believe is undedicated) which sits by the Abbey and yes is in the book and I've naturally been before :)

Very little of Hailes Abbey remains alas. There is an audio tour. I've heard  this before but English Heritage have reordered it and it makes less sense now.... the idea was that two monks take you around. You start by being greeted by a lay brother pre-black death and then he dies and "later in time" another monk greets you and picks up the story informing you that the lay brother died in the black death. In the original tour this event happens half way around but now it is at the end and both brothers guide you which is a little confusing! sad because the original is really good.

This panel shows what happened after the dissolution.

There is a nice museum that shows finds... it really must have been amazing.