Making a mental note to check why the River Avon has so many abbeys close together (Evesham, Pershore, Tewkesbury): an Abbey a Day keeps something at bay. And whether you’re deeply religious, an atheist, or a even a committed Pastafarian, there’s  something undeniably awe inspiring about these old religious sites and buildings from Stonehenge and Callanish onwards, and the faith of the people who built them without the aid of modern day cranes and cherry pickers.

Well surrounded, it’s not altogether easy to get a decent outside shot of the Abbey, although the fledgling blackbird (taken from the same spot) clearly had an unusual “bird’s eye view”.

The vaulted and decorated ceilings are quite astonishing, as is the stained glass.

And the almost filigree stone work on some of the tombs and side chapels does make you wonder, even if it clearly needs a lot of attention. The one on the left is apparently the grave of Edward II (the king, not the folk/reggae/rock band that our mate Simon played in).