Buildwas Abbey and Royal Air Force Museum, Cosford

A bit foggy this morning as we drove to Telford Toby Carvery for breakfast. By the time we moved on to Buildwas Abbey it was starting to brighten up a bit. The Cistercian Abbey of St Mary and St Chad was founded in 1135 by Roger de Clinton, Bishop of Coventry (1129–1148) as a Savignac monastery and was inhabited by a small community of monks from Furness Abbey. The stone from which it was built was quarried in the nearby settlement of Broseley.

The abbey's location near the border of Wales meant it was destined to have a turbulent history. Welsh Princes and their followers regularly raided the Abbey and on one occasion in 1406, during the rebellion of Owain Glyndwr, raiders from Powys even kidnapped the abbot. This however paled in comparison to an earlier event in 1342 where one of the Buildwas monks, Thomas Tong, murdered his abbot, managed to evade arrest, and then petitioned for re-instatement into the Cistercian order.   The abbey was closed in 1536 by the order of Henry VIII during the Dissolution of the Monasteries, whereupon the estate was granted to Edward Grey, 3rd Baron Grey of Powys. The abbot's house and infirmary were later incorporated into the building of a private house in the 17th century for the Acton Moseley family, although the remaining buildings are now in the care of English Heritage. They are open to the public, who can view the church which remains largely complete and unaltered since its original construction, although it is now without its roof. The remains are considered to be among some of the best preserved twelfth-century examples of a Cistercian church in Britain.

Then we moved on to the RAF Museum at Cosford. The Royal Air Force Museum is Britain’s only national museum dedicated wholly to aviation. With a world-class aircraft collection, integrated with special exhibitions, films, interactives, artwork, engines, missiles, photographs, uniforms, medals and research and education facilities, the Museum takes an innovative approach while keeping with tradition.  While offering an insight into aviation technology, it focuses on the people who made it possible – from daredevil early aviators, through wartime heroes, to the thousands of Service men and women whose contribution shaped the world we live in today.   The London site is situated on what cused to be RAF Hendon. It holds over 100 aircraft in five themed aircraft halls. The museum at Cosford, is acknowledged as one of the leading public attractions in the Midlands and displays over 70 aircraft. It is home to the National Cold War Exhibition which focuses on the Cold War story from a national, international and social/political angle, as well as cultural perspectives. Arrived back at the caravan about 4 pm. The sum was out by now but it was still a bit cool for sitting outside. Had an hour out in the awning before it started to cool a little and we went inside.