As fans of Malory Towers, we were keen to visit Hartland Abbey, where the CBBC adaptation of Enid Blyton’s 1940-50s novels were filmed – see trailer here. However after we started booking our accommodation, we discovered that the abbey would be closed for winter by the time we arrived in the area, so we rearranged our itinerary and were able to make it on the day before closing. We were very glad we did. 

The abbey was built in 1157 in a tranquil valley near a river, about a mile inland from the Cornish coast. It has the most beautiful setting, with meticulously kept gardens surrounded by lush green forest. The abbey itself is in amazingly great condition for an almost 900 year old building. Just mind blowing! 

It is the perfect setting for Malory Towers, a six novel series and six season TV series about the lives and times of a girls boarding school, beginning just after WWII. Many scenes were filmed in the building, the gardens, the surrounding forest and the nearby beach. There were various signs around identifying filming locations, most of which were very recognisable. 

Various other productions have also been filmed here, at nearby Hartland Quay and in the local area, including Sense and Sensibility, Game of Thrones, Top Gear and Antique Roadshow. 

Unfortunately no photos were allowed inside the abbey which was understandable given its age. We really enjoyed exploring the grand rooms throughout, which were filled with antique furniture, paintings, ornaments and the like from different eras throughout the property’s lifespan. 

Henry VIII gifted the abbey to his wine cellar keeper in 1539, and descendants of the same family still live here today. What a beautiful place to wake up to each morning!