“For happily-ever-aftering than here in Camelot.”

“For happily-ever-aftering than here in Camelot.”

Lyrics from “Camelot”

“Camelot,” one of my favorite musicals and vibrant Technicolor spectacles, tells the story of a beautiful and mythical walled-city and legends of valiant knights, love affairs and wars. And we’ve landed where the myth and legend all started.

Our first week along the southern portion of England’s coastline, from Dover to Torquay, spanned over 265 miles. Each day’s itinerary included several stops daily along a well-planned route. We’re now headed a bit inland in the Southwest to continue our search of Castles, Cathedrals and Abbeys. Our first stop is 40 miles north … for a Cotswold kinda day.

EXETER CATHEDRAL

Exeter Cathedral, or more properly known as Cathedral Church of Saint Peter in Exeter, appears downright puny compared to the grandiosity of Canterbury Cathedral. The present building was completed around 1400, and has several notable features, including an early set of highly carved misericords, and the longest uninterrupted medieval stone vaulted ceiling in the world. Misericord, or mercy seats, are hinged wooden seats in the choir stalls, and when tipped up, give the user a ledge to rest on during those long services. Mercy me, a literal rest stop for weary souls.

A most charming English lady led our assembled group and proclaimed from the start that it was impossible for her to remember all the history, but she’d gallantly give it a go, and whatever she forgot, she was going to make it up! I dare say no one challenged her.

The cathedral’s compact space holds many exquisite treasures, as we discovered on our tour. I like that there’s scattered pieces of modern (religious) art interspersed here and there, too.

During WWII, Exeter was one of the targets of a Nazi air offensive; an early-morning air raid took place over Exeter on 4 May 1942. The cathedral sustained a direct hit by a large high-explosive bomb. A remnant, piece of shrapnel, is on display as a reminder of the evils of war. Thankfully, many of the cathedral’s most important artefacts, such as the ancient glass, the misericords, bishop’s throne, ancient charters, the Exeter Book and other precious documents from the library had been removed in anticipation of such an attack.

GLASTONBURY ABBEY

Another hour up the road brought us to Glastonbury Abbey, a cluster of now glorious ruins. It has a long, illustrious history; beginning way back in the 8th-century. By the 1300s it was one of the richest and most powerful monasteries in Merry Ole England. But being a monastery would eventually be its downfall. As it was, Glastonbury Abbey would be suppressed during the great “Dissolution of the Monasteries,” one of the most revolutionary events in English history. Its last abbot, Richard Whiting, was hanged, drawn, and quartered as a traitor in 1539.

As we travel along this journey, we’ve been experiencing first-hand the historic places where much drama and tragedy unfolded. Again, King Henry VIII figures in much of the tyranny, with the dismantling and destruction of monasteries, churches and shrines to saints beginning in 1540. It was a time when Henry instituted havoc, all because the Pope wouldn’t grant him a divorce from Catherine, so he could then marry the arrogant and adulterous Anne; who would end up beheaded. I’ve watched so many TV programs on these times over the years and to actually be on the scene brings it all to life for me.

Fascinating, too is that the Glastonbury area has been associated with the King Arthur legend that began in the 12th-century. It’s a connection promoted by medieval monks who claimed that Glastonbury was Avalon, of the legendary island in Celtic mythology.

Turns out that pilgrim visits to the Abbey had fallen off sharply, and so with the alleged discovery of King Arthur and Queen Guinevere’s tomb in the cemetery, it provided a new reason for visiting; hence, increased revenue from the sale of trinkets and amulets.

From accounts of the time, it was stated that a large, hollowed-out tree trunk contained two skeletons, and a lead cross was found with the inscription, “Hic jacet sepultus inclitus rex Arturius in insula Avalonia” (“Here lies interred the famous King Arthur and Lady Guinevere on the Isle of Avalon”). It’s a wonder how those monks had future visions of a musical version of their story, so named “Camelot”! 

Historians generally dismiss the authenticity of the find; attributing it to a publicity stunt created to raise needed funds to repair the Abbey, mostly burned in 1184. Well, the stunt proved successful, and Glastonbury became one of the richest abbeys in England. Love live Camelot!

WELLS CATHEDRAL

A short drive further on is the magnificent, Gothic Wells Cathedral, described as “unquestionably one of the most beautiful” and “most poetic” of English cathedrals. I second that and totally agree. Wells is 22 miles SE of Bath, and is England’s second smallest city (population: 12,000; City of London is smallest).

The cathedral’s broad and imposing west front, with its large central tower, are dominant features and makes quite a dramatic visual statement upon approaching. You walk through its historic core and at the end of the cobbled street is an elaborate arched doorway, step through and come out upon the Cathedral Green, an open plaza with this startling church rising majestically on the landscape.

Construction began in 1175, the first cathedral in England to be built, from its foundation, all in Gothic style. According to art historian John Harvey, it’s the first truly Gothic cathedral in the world.

Inside Wells Cathedral are some of the most substantial collections of medieval carvings and stained glass in England. The oldest surviving glass dates from the late 13th; there’s also a small patch of ancient mosaic floor tiles in a side chapel.

One of the main features of the Cathedral is an astronomical clock dating back to 1325; the second oldest surviving clock in England after the one at Salisbury Cathedral. The clock still has its original medieval face. Apart from the time on a 24-hour dial, it shows the motion of the sun and moon, the phases of the moon, and the time since the last new moon. David finally found the easiest way to figure out military time, add/subtract 12 from the higher number – 5:00 cocktail hour is 1700 hrs.

The cathedral served as inspiration for Ken Follett’s novel, “The Pillars of the Earth,” and it was featured as the fictional Kingsbridge Cathedral at the end of the 2010 TV adaptation of the book. It’s the first in a trilogy and I devoured reading all three. Great read if you are so inclined. The Anglophile in me is once again coming out of the closet.

LACOCK ABBEY

Lacock village and Abbey in Wiltshire, England is Britain’s birthplace of photography. The abbey was founded in the early 13th century by Ela, Countess of Salisbury, as a nunnery of the Augustinian order. The abbey remained a nunnery until the unfortunate Dissolution of the Monasteries. It was then sold to Sir William Sharington, who converted the convent into a residence where he and his family lived.

The house was built over the old cloisters and its main rooms are on the first floor. It’s a stone house with stone slated roofs, twisted chimney stacks and mullioned windows. Throughout the life of the building, many architectural alterations, additions, and renovations have occurred so that the house is a mishmash of different periods and styles.

The house eventually passed to the Talbot family. William Henry Fox Talbot (1800-1877), amateur scientist and inventor, made in 1835 what’s possibly the earliest surviving photographic camera negative. Talbot’s experiments eventually led to his invention of the more sensitive and practical “Talbotype” paper negative process for camera use; commercially introduced in 1841. His techniques were the basis of present-day photography.

In 1944, artist Matilda Theresa Talbot, a descendent, gave the house and the surrounding village of Lacock to the National Trust. The Abbey houses the Fox Talbot Museum of Photography, devoted to the pioneering work of her ancestor in the field of photography. On display is all the original equipment that led to today’s world of photography as we know it, and ultimately to the smartphone and its sharp camera that took many of our photos. It’s a lovely house to wander, as did the Harry Potter movie cast, along the cloister walk corridors, and admire its family heirlooms, decor, art and historic pieces.

CASTLE COMBE

Castle Combe, an incredibly charming, tiny village (population under 400), is known as the prettiest in all England. It’s located in the southernmost part of the Cotswolds, 12 miles outside of Bath. To me, it was like walking about a real live Disney village setting, a la 1650 or thereabouts.

In fact, no new houses have been built in its historic core since the 1600’s. “Downton Abbey” filmed scenes here; as did 1967’s “Doctor Dolittle,” a local house was used as his for filming. Steven Spielberg’s “War Horse,” too, filmed in town.

The village houses are all typical Cotswold, constructed in stone with thick walls and roofs made from split natural stone tiles. Since they’re hundreds of years old and considered ancient monuments, strict preservation rules prevail to preserve its beauty.

Within Castle Combe, there’s the 13th-century St. Andrew’s Church and medieval Market Cross, erected when the privilege to hold a weekly market in Castle Combe was granted. Think your local Farmer’s Market being held here, but way, way back in time. It stands where the three principal streets of the village converge. The church houses a faceless clock, one of the oldest working clocks in Britain.

The charm of the village is that it has resisted commercialization with only a couple of stores – there are no restaurants or boutiques. Imagine that, Walt Disney (NOT!).

BATH

Bath is now our base; the beautiful, Georgian masterpiece of a city; located at the southern edge of the Cotswold region of south-central England. Everywhere you look is gorgeous, green rolling hills and grasslands.

We’ve been to Bath previously and to its famous ancient Roman Baths, but David wanted to revisit the Fashion Museum and its collection of “100 years of Fashion” exhibit. It’s a very small museum, but well curated with fabulous clothes and accessories on display.

David is also an avid fan of the Netflix TV series, “Bridgerton,” a fashionista’s delight that depicts the dramatic escapades of Regency-era families. There are various locations around Bath used in filming the show. His goal was finding the “Modiste” dress shoppe at #2 Abbey Lane. It’s currently a deli/sandwich shop, and is now an important, and vital Instagram spot for the cognoscente.

Bath is a shopping mecca with its quaint, cobblestoned, narrow streets and alleyways. We bought some of the best and finest, British artisanal teas at the excellent Tea House Emporium. The variety of loose-leaf tea and teabags was enormous. Blood orange tea was a standout selection.

Accommodations

Homewood Hotel, on the outskirts of Bath, in the Cotswold, is our hotel for two nights. It’s a 13th-century manor house set on 10 acres of gardens and woodland with verdant, green valley views. Throughout the premises are original paintings, eclectic art, sculpture, wood floors and stone fireplaces.

The rooms have modern amenities; ours, surprise, surprise – came with an outdoor hot tub overlooking the serene valley! Oh, be still, my tired and achy body and feet. What a welcomed treat and reprieve from all the driving and walking from the first week’s travels (averaging 10,000+ steps per day = 5 miles!). I’m in!

After a relaxing soak, their lovely restaurant beckons … a fried Halloumi cheese appetizer was delicious, as was my whole steamed branzino (aka European bass), a delicacy. It was deboned perfectly and presented whole (forgot to request the fish head be cut off – can’t stand looking at those eyes). David ordered lamb cutlets, a bit on the fatty side, but the sauce was tasty – by now you have figured out that I’m always tasting his food, you know, just in case it’s poisoned. 

Our breakfast hostess was a most elegant and vivacious lady. I wondered, what’s she doing working as hostess … was she actually the Lady of the Manor? We came to find out that she had been a PAN AM stewardess (as she was known back in the day); based out of LA. And that she had previously owned a 15-room B&B nearby; thankfully sold it just prior to covid, and decided that she was too young to retire. This gig gives her something to do in the mornings, plus she missed the personal interaction. Meeting sensational folks like her while traveling is a major plus and adds to the overall experience.

Up next … Cardiff in southern Wales.

5 thoughts on ““For happily-ever-aftering than here in Camelot.”

  1. I love traveling with you vicariously! Your photos & accounts make me feel like I’m there, especially appreciated in these days of so much staying home!!

  2. Fabulous buildings, landscaping, food, people – what’s not to love? You guys are living a wonderful life and I wish you the very best. Come see us again sometime!

  3. Sergio and David, These pictures are fantastic and the narrative is perfect! It would make a great book! I am so thankful that you and David are sharing these fantastic experiences with all of us! Thankyou so very much!

  4. What a fabulous trip you had! I so enjoyed the pics of Bath and your fabulous adventures and tasty meals along the way.

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