Castle in Devon and Torbay

Peppercombe is one of North Devon's most enchanting hidden valleys, a secretive wooded combe descending steeply to a remote pebble beach on the Bristol Channel. The castle reference is a misnomer - no castle ever stood here, though the dramatic coastal landscape and substantial stone buildings near the beach may have inspired the romantic designation. The valley belongs to the National Trust, retaining an almost otherworldly atmosphere of seclusion and timelessness, accessible only by foot. The valley's character is defined by ancient oak woodlands clothing the steep slopes, creating a lush green tunnel leading down to the sea. These woods are part of important Atlantic oak woodland habitat, supporting rich biodiversity. In spring, bluebells and wild garlic erupt, while summer brings dappled sunlight through dense canopy. At the valley foot, the beach consists of smooth wave-worn pebbles, accessible only via steep path - isolation ensuring peace even in summer. The beach is remarkably clean and unspoiled, backed by cliffs with a freshwater stream emerging to meet the sea. Accessed via South West Coast Path from Worthygate or Cornham Ford. Steep path descends approximately 300 feet - challenging with potentially slippery conditions. Beach is cut off at high tide.

Salcombe Castle, also known as Fort Charles, is a ruined sixteenth-century blockhouse at the entrance to the Salcombe estuary in Devon, built by Henry VIII as part of the national coastal defence programme that created a chain of artillery forts around the English coastline in the 1540s and 1550s in response to the threat of French and Spanish invasion. The castle was one of the last of the English Civil War fortifications to surrender to Parliamentary forces in 1646, earning the town of Salcombe the distinction of holding out longer than almost any other Royalist stronghold in the country. The ruins are modest, but the estuary setting at the mouth of one of the most beautiful river estuaries in southwest England provides an attractive coastal heritage destination. Salcombe town above the estuary is one of the most fashionable sailing and holiday towns in Devon, celebrated for its exceptional sailing waters, excellent seafood and outstanding natural scenery.

Newberry Castle occupies a dramatic clifftop position near Combe Martin on Devon's rugged north coast, though the name is misleading as no medieval castle ever stood here. Instead, the structure was likely an Iron Age hillfort taking advantage of the naturally defensive coastal promontory. The earthwork remains are subtle but traceable, integrated into a landscape with thousands of years of human use. The site commands magnificent views across the Bristol Channel towards Wales, with the headland dropping steeply to the sea on three sides. This strategic position provided excellent visibility for monitoring approaching vessels. Reaching Newberry Castle involves walking along the South West Coast Path, one of Britain's most spectacular long-distance trails. The approach offers constantly changing perspectives of dramatic coastal scenery with hidden coves and rock formations. The grassland at the summit is grazed by sheep and cattle, with wildflowers carpeting the clifftops in spring and summer. Access is via the South West Coast Path from Combe Martin to the east or Hangman Hills to the west, approximately two miles with challenging ascents.

Totnes Castle is a remarkably well-preserved Norman motte-and-bailey castle perched on a prominent hill at the heart of Totnes, one of Devon's most characterful and ancient towns. Managed by English Heritage, the castle is considered one of the finest examples of a Norman motte-and-bailey structure in the whole of the South West of England. Its circular shell keep, sitting atop a steeply constructed earthen mound, commands sweeping panoramic views over the River Dart valley, the surrounding South Devon countryside, and the rooftops of the town below. For visitors with an interest in medieval history, military architecture, or simply dramatic scenery, the castle offers a quietly absorbing experience that rewards those who make the climb. The castle's origins lie in the period immediately following the Norman Conquest of 1066. It was founded by Judhael of Totnes, a powerful Norman lord who was granted lands in Devon by William the Conqueror. The initial structure would have been built in timber, as was typical of motte-and-bailey castles constructed swiftly in the years after the Conquest to consolidate Norman control over newly subjugated English territory. Over subsequent centuries the wooden defences were replaced in stone, giving rise to the circular shell keep that survives today. The castle passed through various hands across the medieval period, with the de Braose and de la Zouche families among those who held it. By the later medieval period its military significance had declined, and it gradually fell into disuse as a fortification, though its physical fabric has survived with remarkable integrity. What the visitor encounters upon arrival is a structure that conveys an immediate and almost visceral sense of medieval scale and purpose. The shell keep itself is not ornate — there are no grand halls or elaborate decorative stonework — but its very austerity gives it a compelling authenticity. The walls, built from local limestone, have the warm, slightly amber-grey colour typical of Devon stone, and they rise in an unbroken circuit around the top of the motte. Walking the interior of the keep, you stand essentially on the roof of the hill, enclosed by walls perhaps two to three metres thick at their base, with the sky opening above you. On a clear day the views from the rampart walks are exceptional: the winding green corridor of the Dart valley stretches away to the south towards Dartmouth, and on the western horizon the rounded tors of Dartmoor are visible. The site is generally peaceful and uncrowded, with birdsong and the distant sounds of the town drifting up from below. Totnes itself is one of the most distinctive small towns in England, with a long high street lined with medieval and Tudor buildings, an impressive Guildhall, and a lively independent retail and cultural scene that has given it a reputation as an alternative and creative community. The town sits on the tidal reach of the River Dart, and a short walk from the castle leads down to the quayside where river boat trips operate to Dartmouth. The Totnes Museum on Fore Street provides excellent local historical context, and the town's Elizabethan Museum is another point of interest. The broader South Hams district, in which Totnes sits, contains some of the most beautiful river and coastal scenery in Devon, with Dartmouth, Kingsbridge, and the beaches of the South Devon coast all within comfortable driving distance. Visiting the castle is straightforward and particularly suitable for families and history enthusiasts of all ages. English Heritage manages access through a small admission fee, with free entry for members. The site is compact, and a thorough visit can be comfortably accomplished in an hour or less, making it an ideal addition to a broader day exploring the town. The climb up to the castle entrance from the town centre is short but fairly steep, following a narrow medieval lane, and the motte itself requires climbing further steps to reach the keep, so those with limited mobility should be aware of this. The castle is generally open from spring through autumn, with reduced access in winter months — checking the English Heritage website before visiting is advisable. The town of Totnes is well served by rail, sitting on the main line between Exeter and Plymouth, making it one of the most accessible historic sites in Devon without a car. One of the more quietly remarkable aspects of Totnes Castle is how completely it has survived given its long centuries of apparent neglect. Unlike many comparable castles that were demolished for building materials or heavily altered in later periods, the shell keep at Totnes retains a strong sense of its original form. The town grew up around and beneath the castle rather than absorbing it, which has helped preserve the medieval landscape relationship between fortress and settlement. The castle also sits close to the legendary association of Totnes with Brutus of Troy — a mythological tradition recorded by Geoffrey of Monmouth in his twelfth-century Historia Regum Britanniae, which claimed that Totnes was the landing place of Brutus, the legendary founder of Britain, who supposedly stepped ashore on what is now Fore Street. A stone in the town pavement still marks the spot. While entirely mythological, this tradition speaks to the deep sense of antiquity that the town and its castle together project, making Totnes one of those places where history, legend, and landscape combine into something genuinely evocative.

Berry Pomeroy Castle is located about a mile north-east of the village of Berry Pomeroy, near Totnes, Devon, England. It is situated on a limestone outcrop overlooking the valley of the Gatcombe Brook. Berry Pomeroy consists of a Tudor mansion within the walls of an earlier castle. Today the castle is administered by English Heritage, although still owned by the Duke of Somerset. It is a grade I listed building. The castle is accessed via a wooded drive. The original drive is visible as an earthwork in the adjacent woods. The main carpark is in a quarry where slate used for the building was excavated. The oldest parts of the castle that can still be seen are the gatehouse, remains of the curtain walls and St Margaret's Tower on the east corner. The original castle had a dry moat, gatehouse and ramparts surmounted by a curtain wall with buildings around the inside of the wall. The gatehouse to the south has a round-arched gateway with semi-hexagonal towers on either side connected by a flattened arch on corbels. There is a guardroom above the gateway with octagonal piers and chamfered arches. The curtain walls are connected to the St Margaret's Tower to the east. There is a group of tall piers on the north side which are probably the remains of the north wing or hall of the Seymour mansion house which is situated on the north east side of the enclosure. The Seymour mansion house is a three storey building built around a small courtyard. Berry Pomeroy Castle was built in the 15th-century by the Pomeroy family. In 1547 Edward Seymour, 1st Duke of Somerset bought the castle from Sir Thomas Pomeroy. He was beheaded for treason in 1552, and the castle was forfeit to the Crown. In 1558, his son Edward, Lord Seymour gained title to the castle. He built a three storey Tudor mansion house at the north end of the courtyard between 1560 and 1580. After his death in 1593 his son, also Edward, added the North Range to the castle in about 1600. During the Civil War, the Seymours sided with the Royalists, and the castle was attacked by Parliamentarians. The Seymour estates were sequestered by Cromwell, but they were allowed to stay at the castle. By the end of the 17th century, Berry Pomeroy Castle was in ruins. Legends Berry Pomeroy Castle has its share of ghostl stories. The White Lady haunts the dungeons, and rises from St Margaret's Tower to the castle ramparts. She is said to be the spirit of Margaret Pomeroy, who was imprisoned in the dungeons by her sister Eleanor. Margaret was left to starve to death in the dungeons. Another ghost is The Blue Lady who is supposed to lure people into parts of the ruin. She is said to be the ghost of the daughter of one of the Norman Lords of the castle who was abused by her father.

Only 7 miles from Exeter, Powderham Castle is set beside the Exe estuary in the middle of a deer park. The castle is a mixture of styles comprising mainly of Georgian, Victorian and Gothic, with the east and west battlemented towers being the oldest parts dating back to the 14th century. Powderham Castle is still used as a family home it has been renovated and both the castle and the gardens are well kept. Within the castle grounds are a gatehouse and chapel; also dating back to the 14th century. Facilities The castle is open from 11am between Sunday and Friday from April until October. Visitors can discover the estate and castle either alone or with the help of a guided tour. Tours of the house are given by experienced guides and cover some of the stories of the people who occupied the house, the architecture and the history. There is also a tour of the Deer Park and gardens where visitors can meet the castles pets, find the 'secret garden' and visit the Courtenay Fort an adventure castle. As well as a tourist attraction the castle hosts wedding receptions in the music room, dining room or library, accommodating up to 170 guests or for a truly large affair a marquee can be erected in the Deer Park. The castle was founded by Sir Philip Courtenay between 1390 and 1420 and remains with the Earl of Devon, one of his direct descendents. It was built as a quadrangular fortress. The castle survived despite a great deal of damage which it sustained during the Civil War and in 1646 when it was taken by the roundheads. The castle was subsequently remodeled in both the 18th and 19th centuries by the architect James Wyatt. Today's castle is the home of the 18th Earl of Devon who lives in private quarters within the castle. The Arts The castle was used as a location for the film 'The Remains Of The Day' in 1993 and the comedy 'Churchill; The Hollywood Years' in 2004. During the summer the castle has also hosted concerts which in 2008 included names from the 1980's such as Midge Ure, Banarama, Rick Astley, Heaven17, Nick Heyward and guest star Katie Melua.

Castle Drogo is located near Drewsteignton, Devon, England. It stands above the Teign Gorge with views over Dartmoor. Castle Drogo was the last castle to be built in England The castle is built entirely of granite. The castle was designed by architect Sir Edward Lutyens and features battlements, a fortified entrance tower, and a portcullis to create a medieval appearance. The castle is essentially a stately home with a blend of styles from the medieval and Tudor periods. The castle was never intended as a military structure and the defensive features are decorative. The castle has a formal garden, also designed by Lutyens, noted for its rhododendrons and magnolias, herbaceous borders, rose garden, shrub garden and circular croquet lawn. The castle also has a shop, visitor centre and tea-room. It was built as a country house for Julius Drewe (the founder of Home and Colonial Stores) in the 1910s and 1920s. The property was given to the National Trust in 1974. It is a Grade I listed building.

Lydford Castle near the village of Lydford in Devon is a twelfth-century tower castle that served as a prison and stannary court for the Devon tin-mining industry, one of the most feared and notorious places of incarceration in medieval England. The tower was built in 1195 as a fortified prison rather than a royal residence, and the harsh conditions and arbitrary justice dispensed here were so notorious that a popular contemporary rhyme spoke of Lydford Law, in which men were hanged first and judged afterwards. The tower is managed by English Heritage and freely accessible, set in the attractive village of Lydford on the western edge of Dartmoor. The village also contains the spectacular Lydford Gorge, managed by the National Trust, where the River Lyd has carved a dramatic narrow gorge with waterfalls and rock pools that provides one of the finest short walks in Devon.

Watermouth Castle is a Victorian country house built in the Gothic Revival style, located on the rugged North Devon coast near the village of Berrynarbor, a short distance from the popular seaside town of Ilfracombe. Despite its name, it is not a medieval fortification but rather a castellated mansion constructed in the 1820s, designed to evoke the romanticism of a coastal fortress while serving as a grand private residence. Today it operates primarily as a family-oriented heritage theme park and holiday park, combining the theatrical grandeur of its architecture with a range of attractions aimed at children and families. The castle overlooks the sheltered inlet of Watermouth Harbour, a small natural cove that gives the estate its distinctive character and contributes to its enduring appeal as one of North Devon's more unusual and memorable visitor destinations. The castle was built around 1825, with the Bassett family — a prominent West Country gentry family — among its notable early owners. The Bassetts held significant influence in the region and the estate was developed as a fashionable country seat befitting their status. The design draws on the Gothick and Picturesque movements that were fashionable in early nineteenth-century England, with mock battlements, turrets, and pointed arched windows creating a theatrical silhouette against the coastal sky. The castle changed hands several times over the subsequent decades and was used for various purposes during the twentieth century, including reportedly being requisitioned during the Second World War. After the war it was eventually developed as a visitor attraction, a transition that has been both celebrated for preserving the building in active use and occasionally critiqued by those who favour a more conventional heritage approach. The physical character of Watermouth Castle is genuinely striking, even whimsical. Approaching it along the narrow lane that descends toward the harbour, visitors encounter a building that seems almost improbably dramatic for its rural Devon setting — towers and battlements rising above wooded slopes, the whole ensemble reflected at certain tides in the still waters of the cove below. Inside, the castle retains some period rooms with Victorian and Edwardian furnishings, suits of armour, and curiosities collected over the decades, lending the interior a pleasantly eccentric atmosphere somewhere between a stately home and a cabinet of curiosities. The grounds are well wooded and the combination of sea air, salt wind, and surrounding woodland gives the place a particular sensory texture — simultaneously coastal and sylvan — that distinguishes it from more generic heritage attractions. The surrounding landscape is quintessentially North Devon: steep wooded combes dropping to rocky shorelines, narrow hedge-banked lanes, and views across the Bristol Channel toward Wales on clear days. Watermouth Harbour itself is a protected anchorage used by small leisure boats, and at low tide the exposed rocks and pools give it a picturesque, almost secretive quality. The South West Coast Path passes nearby, offering walkers access to some of the finest coastal scenery in England, including the dramatic cliffs between Ilfracombe and Combe Martin. The village of Berrynarbor, just inland, is a charming traditional Devon village with a medieval church and a well-regarded pub. Ilfracombe, roughly two miles to the west, provides a broader range of accommodation, restaurants, and the famous Verity statue by Damien Hirst at the harbour entrance. For visitors planning a trip, Watermouth Castle is primarily open during the main holiday season, typically from Easter through to late October, though opening days and hours vary year to year and it is strongly advisable to check the official website before travelling. The castle sits on the A399 road between Ilfracombe and Combe Martin, making it accessible by car with parking available on site. There is a bus service connecting Ilfracombe and Combe Martin that passes the site, though services can be infrequent outside the summer months. The attraction is primarily geared toward families with young children, featuring fairground rides, a dungeon-style walk-through experience, water-powered automata displays, and other amusements alongside the castle building itself. Adults visiting primarily for the architecture and history will find plenty to appreciate, but the overall atmosphere is jovial and family-focused rather than solemnly heritage-minded. The combination of genuine Victorian Gothic architecture, a spectacular coastal setting, and its life as a living, well-worn family attraction gives Watermouth Castle a charm that is entirely its own.

Dartmouth Castle hangs on a cliff edge at the narrow entrance of the Dart Estuary in Devon on the south west coast of England. Surrounded by trees and adjacent to St Petroc's church, the small limestone and slate coastal fort, or fortalice, consists of two towers, one round, one square, built over four floors and linked together at the top. Gun platforms protrude at either side of the towers and sections of a curtain wall are still visible at ground level. The square tower has carved gun ports on the seaward facing side and the round tower low gun ports, musket slits and a basement for defensive weapons. The entrance to the restored castle is on the ground floor of the square tower where visitors can see the openings made especially to accommodate hand guns. Facilities As well as visiting the castle, visitors can view items on display at the 'Victorian Gun Battery' Exhibition, enjoy the small riverside gardens or visit the gift shop, there are also refreshments available. The castle and grounds are open every day (except Christmas) from 10am with closing times changing depending on the season. An unusual way to arrive or depart from the castle is to take a river boat from the town's quay and then a minute's walk to the castle entrance. The fort was built in 1388 for John Hawley. The gun tower was added between 1481 and 1495 and the open air gun platforms being added in the 16th century by Henry VIII. The castle was taken by the Royalists after a month of battle during the Civil War. They added an earthwork fort to protect the landward side and held the castle for three years until it was attacked by the Parliamentarians under the command of Sir Thomas Fairfax in 1646. The castle was also used during both the First and Second World Wars and is now under the care of English Heritage. It is classed as the earliest surviving coastal gun tower fortress specifically to carry 'ship sinking' heavy cannon in England. The Arts John Hawley, the castle first owner and mayor of Dartmouth was alleged to be the inspiration for the 'Shipman' in Chaucer's Canterbury tales.

Kingswear Castle is a fifteenth-century artillery blockhouse on the eastern bank of the Dart estuary opposite Dartmouth, built in the 1490s as the twin of Dartmouth Castle across the river to control entry to the harbour. The two castles could be connected by a chain stretched across the river mouth to prevent hostile vessels from entering, forming one of the most effective harbour defences in southwest England. The castle is operated by the Landmark Trust and is available as self-catering holiday accommodation, providing the unusual opportunity to stay within an intact medieval coastal fortification with spectacular views over the Dart estuary, Dartmouth town and the Devon coastline. The estuary setting and the historic association with the twin castle at Dartmouth make Kingswear a distinctive and atmospheric heritage accommodation experience in one of the most beautiful estuaries in Devon.

Okehampton Castle is situated 1 mile from the town centre of Okehampton, 22 miles west of Exeter in the south west of England. Situated on a wooded spur overlooking the Okement river, Okehampton Castle is the remains of Devon's largest Castle. The castle's two storey rectangular keep is accessed through firstly an inner and then an outer gatehouse which are linked together by a narrow barbican passage. Once inside the bailey there are the remains of a chapel, hall, living accommodation and kitchens. Facilities The castle is open to the public daily from 10am between April and September, and as well as visiting the ruins visitors can take a walk long the river bank and enjoy a picnic. Hot and cold drinks and snacks can be purchased at the ticket kiosk. At the time of the Doomsday Book in 1086 the castle was owned by the Sheriff of Devon, Baldwin de Brionne. Very little is written of the history of the castle, but it is known that in the 14th century the keep, curtain wall and most the luxurious residential accommodations were built by the Marquees of Exeter, Henry Courtenay, and he lived there until he was found guilty conspiracy against Henry VIII in 1539 and was executed. The castle was then partly demolished and left to become a ruin. The Arts Due its beautiful appearance, even as a ruin, the castle was twice painted by the English Romantic landscape painter J.M.W Tuner.