Siblings make poignant ruturn to Coombe Abbey Hotel after mother's death, reliving cherished childhood memories

Wendy and Kevin return to the historic building.

Siblings who spent part of their childhood living in a 12th century Cistercian Abbey near Rugby before it became a hotel enjoyed a nostalgic revisit after 50 years.

In 1970 Wendy Duckett and brother Kevin Clarke relocated from a small terrace in Salford, Manchester to Coombe Abbey when their parents were invited to launch the first medieval banquets, which are still popular to this day.

After finalising arrangements following the death of their mother, they decided to come back and revisit the historic destination.

Nurse and mother-of-two Wendy, who has lived in New Zealand for 17 years, said: “After mum died earlier this month Kevin and I both looked at each other and said we would love to come back to Coombe Abbey.”

Wendy and Kevin on the roof at Coombe Abbey.

Wendy and Kevin were seven and eight respectively when they moved into a section of the council-owned Grade I listed building and 150-acre estate, which were under restoration at the time.

Coombe Abbey Hotel opened in 1995.

Their parents, Len and Rena Clarke, worked with Historic Productions and had been running medieval banquets in Greater Manchester.

It was a tearful moment when Kevin and Wendy first arrived and opened the arched green wooden door into the hotel corridor which used to house their family’s three-bedroom flat.