Tour the incredible Buckland Abbey The one-time residence of Sir Francis Drake, Buckland Abbey in Yelverton, Devon, is filled with interesting memorabilia from the life of a great man. Take a walk through the decorated rooms and immersive museum galleries that narrate the storey not only of Drake and his exploits, but also of the naval commander and adventurer Sir Richard Grenville.
What is there to see and do at Buckland Abbey, Garden & Estate?
Look out for Drake's Drum, which the great sailor carried on all his excursions, and which is said to be beaten whenever England is in danger (the last time it did so, it was probably just before the invasion of Dunkirk), pop into the classic 16th century kitchen, or picture a elegant Georgian visitor ready to snorkel with the local bigwigs in the laid out dining room. There's a lot more to see inside, but don't leave until you've meandered through the kitchen gardens between the scattered fruit trees or breathed in the sweet air of the Abbey Garden, where hydrangeas, camellias, eucryphias, azaleas and rhododendrons wave in the wind.
