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Buckland Abbey
Discovery, tranquillity and history – an ancient gem in the Tavy Valley landscape
Yelverton, Devon, PL20 6EY
Important notice
The yellow walk is now open. The red & blue walks remain closed until safe to open. The Viking Yule event runs until 31 December (not 25/26).
Opening times for 26 December 2024
Asset Opening time Abbey Closed Garden Closed Great Barn Closed Estate Closed Car park Closed Restaurant Closed Shop Closed Last entry to the Abbey is 30 minutes before the house closing time.
MTWTFSS2526272829301234567891011121314151617181920212223242526272829303112345OpenPartially openClosedProperty admission 10 Feb-3 Nov and 30 Nov-31 Dec
Ticket type Gift aid Standard Adult £16.50 £15.00 Child £8.25 £7.50 Family £41.25 £37.50 Family one adult £24.75 £22.50 Group Adult £14.25 Group Child £7.10 Property admission 4-29 Nov and 1 Jan - 15 Feb
Ticket type Gift aid Standard Adult £9.90 £9.00 Child £4.95 £4.50 Family £24.75 £22.50 Family one adult £14.85 £13.50 Become a member and discover more than 500 places
Adventure playground/play area
Natural play area located approximately half a mile from Visitor Welcome along a gravel and grassed track. Balance beams, climbing area and intuitive play equipment.
Family friendly
Assistance dogs only
Assistance dogs only in the House and Great Barn. Dogs on leads welcome everywhere else except for the Kitchen Garden.
Guided tour
Pre-booked guided tours for groups available at £15 per guide. Volunteer led guided tours run on certain dates, please check before making a journey.
Bookshop
Second hand bookshop located in Ox Yard opposite cafe.
Kiosk
Seasonal
Picnic area
Picnic benches in car park, play area, and throughout the gardens and estate.
Car park
Free parking with accessible spaces available.
Plant shop
Cycle parking
Wooden posts located opposite the car park hut just before the path leading down to the main property. Car park is usually attended by volunteers but any items left are at the owner's risk.
Dogs allowed
On a short lead in gardens (not in Kitchen Garden), and on estate walks
Toilet
Toilets in car park, outside Visitor Welcome (including accessible toilet and baby change), in Ox Yard and cafe.
Steep routes with steps and uneven surfaces. Blue Badge parking. Accessible toilets. Poor phone signal. Ground floor accessible. Tramper for hire.
Accessible route and/or map
Please ask at Visitor Welcome
Level access/terrain
To garden
Accessible toilet
Located outside Visitor Welcome
Powered mobility vehicle available
Please call ahead to book the Tramper
Powered mobility vehicle available - more informationBraille (guide or menu)
Braille guide for the House available at Visitor Welcome and door of the Abbey.
Ramped access/slopes
Designated parking
Accessible spaces available
Steps/uneven terrain
Induction loop
Available in the Guest House
Transfer available
Volunteer buggy service
Level access to food outlet
Wheelchairs available
Level access to shop
By road
Turn off A386 Plymouth to Tavistock road and follow brown tourist signs to Buckland Abbey, which is approximately 2.5 miles from Yelverton. The lane from Crapstone has narrow sections but is wide enough for coaches and motorhomes.
We don't advise that you use a SatNav to find us, please follow the brown tourist signs from the A386
Parking is free to all visitors, and is located approximately 150 yards from Visitor Welcome. A visitor buggy is usually available to drop visitors between various points on property, please do call ahead to check if you would like to know if it is in operation on the day of your visit.
Accessible parking spaces are available in the main car park.
Coach parking for up to 3 coaches is available in the main car park.
By train
Plymouth train station is located 11 miles from Buckland Abbey. Links via bus routes 1 and 55 from Plymouth to Yelverton and Yelverton to Milton Combe, and National Cycle Network route 27.
By bus
Take bus route 1 (Stagecoach) between Plymouth and Tavistock. Alight at Yelverton. From Yelverton, local bus 55 (Citybus) operates Monday to Saturday. For timetables visit https://www.stagecoachbus.com/timetables and https://www.plymouthbus.co.uk/services/PLYC/55
By bicycle
Buckland Abbey is located a short distance from Drake's Trail, a 21 mile cycling route linking Plymouth and Tavistock, and part of the National Cycle Network route 27. Following mainly traffic free sections of gravel or paved track, this route takes in beautiful countryside from either direction. From Yelverton, leave the cycle trail and follow brown tourist signs to Buckland Abbey along quiet country roads. Posts are available in the main car park where you can padlock your bike (please bring your own lock).
Plan your route to Buckland Abbey using the CycleStreets journey planner via the link below. This journey planner uses OpenStreetMap data which is generally excellent but accuracy cannot be guaranteed. If you come to a footpath or cycle prohibited track, please do not ride on it.
Cycle hire is available from several places in Plymouth and Tavistock. Please visit https://www.visitplymouth.co.uk/visitor-information/travel-information/bike-hire or https://devoncyclehire.co.uk/ for more information
Planning your visit
What's on at Buckland Abbey
Discover more about upcoming events
Article
Family-friendly things to do at Buckland Abbey
Whether it's a woodland adventure, an amazing story of life on the high seas or a tasty treat from the cafe, there's something for all the family to enjoy at Buckland Abbey.
Article
Volunteering at Buckland Abbey
Discover how you can join the team of volunteers at Buckland Abbey in Yelverton, Devon. You’ll meet new friends, learn new skills and make a difference to our visitors’ days out.
Article
Visiting Buckland Abbey with your dog
Buckland Abbey is a one pawprint rated place. There are plenty of dog-friendly walks through the woodland and countryside to explore and dogs are welcome to relax in the Ox Yard Café.
Article
School and Group visits to Buckland Abbey
Visit Buckland Abbey in Devon’s Tavy Valley with your school or adult group and discover its fascinating buildings and treasures and 700 years of history.
PDF
Article
Accessibility at Buckland Abbey
Everyone is welcome at Buckland Abbey. Read on to discover how to make the most of your visit, download the access statement, and find out how to contact us with any questions you might have.
Highlights
House
Medieval Abbey converted into a Tudor house during the Dissolution. Once home to seafarers Sir Richard Grenville and Sir Francis Drake.
Great Barn
Medieval Tithe Barn which was used for storage of grain and winnowing of corn.
Garden
Elizabethan garden, walled kitchen garden and wild garden areas with views of the Abbey.
Estate
Ancient woodlands with circular walks and far-reaching views of the Tamar Valley and Abbey
Play area
Natural play area created with wood from the estate, including balance beams and areas to run and explore
Eating
Ox Yard Café with indoor and outdoor seating, selling light lunches and snacks. Dog-friendly café.
Shopping
Shop selling gifts and local products. Second-hand bookshop in the original Ox Yard.
Spotlight events
What's on at Buckland Abbey
Discover more about upcoming events
A Viking Yule at Buckland Abbey
Find out what's on over the festive period at Buckland Abbey.
Things to see and do
Article
Family-friendly things to do at Buckland Abbey
Whether it's a woodland adventure, an amazing story of life on the high seas or a tasty treat from the cafe, there's something for all the family to enjoy at Buckland Abbey.
Article
Buckland Abbey's gardens
From beautiful blooms to bountiful harvests, the gardens at Buckland Abbey are full of colour and seasonal interest. Soak up the history of this special place as you admire the planting, or simply enjoy the peace and tranquillity as you sit a while on one of the benches.
Article
Buckland Abbey's estate
Discover Buckland's ancient woodland on one of three colour coded walking routes. With abundant wildlife and far reaching views, it's a peaceful and fascinating place to enjoy a stroll.
Article
Visiting Buckland Abbey and Great Barn
Explore the abbey which is part museum, part house, and filled with treasures. Step inside the medieval Great Barn: a tithe barn unchanged since it was built centuries ago.
Eating and shopping
Article
Eating and shopping at Buckland Abbey
Take a break at the Ox Yard Café, which serves tea, coffee, light lunches and sweet treats, before finding a special gift or souvenir in the National Trust shop, art galleries and second-hand bookshop.
Places to stay
Cider Cottage
Tucked away on the Buckland Abbey estate with its own private garden and a bright interior.
The Cider House and Starbed Hideaways
Run by tenants, the Cider House and two shepherd huts are special places to stay on the Buckland estate
Upcoming events
Event
Viking Yule: Christmas at Buckland Abbey
Step back in time and get into the festive spirit as we celebrate Viking Yule at Buckland Abbey!
Event
Christmas Storytime at Buckland Abbey
Join our volunteer storytellers for Christmas story time!
Event
Tree Planting at Buckland Abbey
This winter we are planting 30000 trees at Buckland Abbey, come along and help us!
Event
Mummers Play & Wassail!
Join us and Dartmoor Border Morris for a traditional Mummers Play & Wassail.
Event
Write Your Own Fairytale Trail
Buckland Abbey is a mystical place, follow the trail around the Abbey and gardens to create your own story!
Event
Children’s Collage Workshop: Wild & Wonderful Gardens
Join local artists Grace Coombes from Linnet Workshops and create wonderfully colourful and creative collages inspired by the beautiful Buckland Abbey Estate.
Event
A History of the Abbey through its Art (guided tour)
Join our volunteer guide to learn more about the artworks around the house.
Event
Piskie Easter Egg Hunt
This Easter join us at Buckland Abbey for an Easter Egg hunt, learn about local birds and how to keep piskies at bay!
About Buckland Abbey
When you visit Buckland Abbey, you follow over 700 years of footsteps; from the Cistercians who built the Abbey and farmed the estate, to seafarers Grenville and Drake who changed the shape of the house and the fate of the country.
The Abbey is part museum, part house, and filled with treasures. There’s no mistaking the magnificence of the medieval Great Barn, originally a tithe barn which has remained virtually unchanged since it was built all those centuries ago.
You’ll discover meadows, orchards and woodlands where you can enjoy far-reaching views of the Tavy Valley. Our way-marked trails are a riot of colour through the seasons, with an unmissable carpet of bluebells in spring.
At the Cider House garden, herbaceous borders provide seasonal interest and a secret ‘wild’ garden is a wonderful place for quiet contemplation (or a game of hide and seek).
Find your favourite spot and you’ll want to come back to Buckland Abbey time and again.
History
Article
The history of Buckland Abbey
Discover a wealth of history at Buckland Abbey, from its time as a medieval farming monastery to the famous Tudor explorers who called it home.
Art and collections
Article
The Rembrandt self-portrait at Buckland Abbey
See the painting at Buckland Abbey which was revealed as a genuine self-portrait by the famous Dutch artist Rembrandt.
Our work
Project
Project
The Community Forest Project at Buckland Abbey
This year we are delighted to be working in partnership with Plymouth and South Devon Community Forest, and with grant funding from Defra’s Trees for Climate fund we’ll create, restore and connect around 50 hectares (ha) of new priority habitat – that’s about the same area as 63 football fields. This will include a combination of lowland mixed deciduous woodland, traditional orchard, wood pasture and parkland and hedgerows.
Article
The Kitchen Garden walls at Buckland Abbey
Discover how our conservation work at Buckland Abbey has revealed some surprises that have shed light on the lives of the Cistercian monks who once lived here.
Article
Commemorative giving at Buckland Abbey
Whether you would like to make a gift in celebration of a special event, in memory of a loved one or just because, why not consider donating towards a project here at Buckland Abbey?
Support us
Article
Volunteering at Buckland Abbey
Discover how you can join the team of volunteers at Buckland Abbey in Yelverton, Devon. You’ll meet new friends, learn new skills and make a difference to our visitors’ days out.
Donate to Buckland Abbey
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