West Buckland: History, Landscape and Special Features

West Buckland combines an impressive local history with archaeological traces and a landscape in which historical points of reference date back as far as the Bronze Age. This creates an interesting mix for planning your trip: you can explore church architecture and tombs, take in the landscape on Stoodleigh Down and learn about the history of individual buildings at the same time. Those looking for a holiday apartment or holiday cottage can choose their accommodation based on whether culture, landscape or a combination of both is to be the main focus.

Church and Stone Monuments

The Church of St Peter in West Buckland is a Grade II* listed building. Its architectural history is particularly noteworthy: the tower contains fabric from the 15th century, while the rest of the building was rebuilt. The tower was restored between 1860 and 1863 by R. D. Gould. The church therefore contains several historical layers that can be distinguished when exploring the local history.

Other stone monuments include the ornate Jones headstone made of slate. It dates from 1824 and was created by H. Britton of Landkey. The Dallyn headstone stands approximately 1 m south of the eastern end of the south aisle of the Church of St Peter. The slate headstone dates from 1818 and bears an inscription for Richard Dallyn. Approximately 2 m south-west of the south porch are also the Chapple chest tomb, the Huxtable headstone and two accompanying stones bearing verses. These tombs date from the mid-19th century. The chest tomb has a slate slab on a brick base and was created by T. Britton; the headstones are made of slate.

Bronze Age Landscape on Stoodleigh Down

Another focus is the round barrow cemetery 450 m south-west of Tossell’s Barton. The site consists of twelve round barrows of varying sizes, each surrounded by a quarry ditch. It is a Bronze Age monument type dating from approximately 2000 to 700 BC. The round barrow cemetery is located on Stoodleigh Down, a ridge overlooking the valleys of tributaries of the River Bray. For travellers wishing to combine landscape and archaeology, this site provides a distinct point of interest.

Historic Buildings and Travel

South Stoodleigh Farmhouse also adds to the historic character of the surrounding area. The building may have a 17th-century core and was completely remodelled in 1731. It is unusual for the area because it retains many 18th-century features. West Buckland School was founded in 1858 at South Stoodleigh by J. L. Brereton to educate the middle classes. It stands on a 100-acre site in the countryside near the Atlantic coast. This statement describes the location of the school grounds without classifying West Buckland itself as a coastal settlement.

A specific bus connection can be included in your travel plans: bus route 873, operated by Taw & Torridge, runs on Thursdays, except public holidays, between Brayford and South Molton via West Buckland. When looking for accommodation, you can therefore first consider which of the aspects mentioned should shape your trip.

Further Destinations for Your Travel Plans

If you would like to include other places in your search alongside West Buckland, here is a compact selection: Westleigh, Chapelton, Copplestone, Wick, East Portlemouth, Salcombe, Sparkwell and Appledore.

For the higher-level travel overview: Devon.