Going abroad!

Dartmoor…and oh my, how its persona alters depending on the weather! We were lucky to escape any heavy downpours, even though the clouds were quite threatening.

We were making our way to Tavistock …and beyond! 

In the photo above, you can see Dartmoor prison, at Princetown; it’s closed at present due to the discovery of high levels of radon gas. 

On we ventured…

 

And then…we went abroad! 😂

Now why on earth would we want to do that? I mean, as you might know, Mr S doesn’t like leaving his armchair, let alone leaving his treasured county! 

Our destination was Cowslip Workshops, just outside Launceston. We’ve been here a few times and it’s very popular, especially when it has quilt exhibitions and classes etc. The cafe is excellent and the service is superb.

We then had a wander around the ‘vintage’ area…

 

And then we had a general wander around…savouring the flavour of this lovely setting.

I always enjoy leaning on the farm gate and looking towards Launceston; if you look closely enough you can see Launceston Castle in the distance.

We drove back through Launceston; here’s a better view of the castle:

And here are some snippets of info from Nich, my history/ archaeology expert, who visited this castle not long ago! (He does come in handy now and again!):

‘Launceston Castle was built a few years after the Norman Conquest. It is at a very strategic point, holding the area between Exeter and Bodmin. The views from the top are something else! It was rebuilt in stone probably in the early 13th century. For 600 years, it was undoubtedly the most important castle in Cornwall, and the town (once further to the north) grew around it - think of castles not just as fortifications, but as centres of administration. 

I think that the central, round tower within the keep, is unique in England - one of my old lecturers suggested the round tower was a viewing point over the castle deerpark, and built completely for show over the local population. There's also a tie in to the Black Prince who, as Duke of Cornwall, had it all reinforced. The bailey was a medieval prison, a function it kept for centuries - locals called it "Castle Terrible". I think Cuthbert Mayne ( who was an English, Catholic priest) was executed there. It stayed as a prison until Bodmin jail opened, around the Regency or Early Victorian period.’

A fine day was had by all and we drove home, across Dartmoor, ( happy to be back in Devon! 😄)