Moorgreen - Beauvale Priory
w/e 08 April 2018
All of this week's pictures were
taken with a Kodak DX6490
It was back in 2004 that I took a similar photo to this of Beauvale
Priory from New Road. Back then in the Monks Way series I wrote
"the Priory now stands on private land and this is as close
as it is possible to get without trespassing."
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In 2006 however Ann and Tony Whyte bought Beauvale Abbey Farm
" with the intention of leading a quiet
self-sufficient life." In the following three years after
being approached by English Heritage the Priory ruins were consolidated
and made it safe to open up the site to visitors. So eighteen
years after that visit for the Monk's Way series we were able
to join many other visitors - and a peahen (bottom right corner)
- in the farmyard.
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We are now able to pass two holiday cottages and make our way
through the farm to the ruins.
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In 2004 I wrote quite a bit about the history of the Priory but
rather than repeat that you could always revisit Part 3 of the Monk's Way series here or go
to the Beauvale
Priory site and read the History section.
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On our way back from the ruins to the farmyard our path was crossed
by a peacock, probable mate to the peahen we saw earlier although
there were several more peahens around the farm.
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But in the farmyard itself as we returned, lambs were the main
attraction. Several of them were moving about between the visitors
and they were all triplets that had been removed from their mothers
and hand reared to ensure they all received an adequate supply
of milk. Usually when three lambs are born to one mother, one
of them misses out at feeding time.
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A bicycle made for two? They weren't planning an escape but just
taking an interest in any and everything.
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It was actually feeding time much to the delight of all the children
present who took it in turns to hold the bottles.
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And it wasn't just feeding time for the lambs as the Gatehouse
Tea Rooms were doing a good trade.
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It would have been rude not to join them especially as my wife
have been treated with a voucher for a luxury "Tea For Two"
on Mothering Sunday last month. It's a good job she was willing
to share - all that cream would have been far too much for one
person!
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