Tintern Abbey

William Wordsworth's words have immortalized this edifice and it's not hard to understand why he was so taken with this picturesque place.  Lines Composed a Few Miles above Tintern Abbey paint a tangible picture of this Cistercian abbey. 
               "...These plots of cottage-ground,
                    these orchard-tufts,
                    Which at this season, with
                    their unripe fruits,
                    Are clad in one green hue,
                    and lose themselves
                    'Mid groves and copses.  Once
                    again I see
                    These hedge-rows, little lines
                    Of sportive wood run wild:
                    theses pastoral farms,
                    Green to the very door; and
                    wreaths of smoke
                    Sent up, in silence, from
                    among the trees!...    

The historical background for this abbey begins in the 12th century when it was founded along the River Wyes in Wales by Walter de Clare, Lord of Chepstow.  Tintern abbey was the second Cistercian abbey founded in the U.K. and was the first in Wales.  The order of the Cistercian monks and nuns is a catholic religious order in which the lives of those committed to the order adhere to a strict emphasis of manual labor and self-sufficiency.  Many abbeys traditionally supported themselves through agriculture and the brewing of ales, and Tintern abbey was no different.

As an abbey and religious center, Tintern Abbey thrived until it became the focal point of a King's displeasure.  In the 1500's King Henry VIII, in an attempt to render the catholic church bereft of all wealth and centers for refuge, had the many of the monasteries destroyed.  Tintern Abbey was no different, and was laid siege by the King's men until it was surrendered to the King on September 3, 1536.

I really enjoyed exploring this ruin and found it to be every bit as awe inspiring as the famous poet Wordsworth.  Besides, just outside the abbey are a few small shops that have some of the best ice cream I've tasted so far on the trip.  I also was able to find a few cookbooks that boast recipes for English meals and desserts.  I'm looking forward to trying out some of the recipes on my family for FHEs.