Buckland Abbey - October 1968 - Once the Home of Sir Francis Drake.

 Outside the Cider House at Buckland Abbey.
When I was leaving home to marry David, my Great Uncle Brent gave me contacts for our family in the West Country.  Uncle Brent also wrote to them to say we were coming.  Our side of the Rodd Family settled in Sydney in 1820 so this is a 191 year family separation but Uncle Brent had done all the research, had travelled extensively and knew where our old family homes were and the families who lived in them. 
When we were heading to the West Country I wrote to Aunt Fanny Rodd who wrote straight back and made arrangements for our visit.  We picked Aunty Fanny up from her small cottage in Yelverton, she was so thrilled to be having a ride in a London Taxi and we drove to Buckland Abbey for 'Tea' at her sister-in-laws home in the Cider House right beside the Abbey.
Captain Arthur Rodd bought the 700 year old Buckland Abbey in 1946 it was restored by 1951 then given to the National Trust.  Arthur Rodd and his wife Mollie lived in the Cider House which was one of the biggest homes we'd ever seen but not as big as the Abbey!

Buckland Abbey today from Google Maps.

 The very lovely Aunty Fanny and David inside Buckland Abbey.

Buckland Abbey is just north of Plymouth.

Very windy on top of the Smeaton Tower at Plymouth Hoe... our Taxi looks just like a Dinky model doesn't it.