subject: Unlocking The History Of Devon [print this page] The Devonshire countryside is imbued with scenic delights to tantalise the senses, such as its rustic fishing bays, rolling green hills, and resplendent limestone moors. But there is further reason to visit this enchanting county. Why not invigorate your mind with a little dash of antiquity while you relax your soul and admire the spectacular scenery?
The Romans and Beer Quarry Caves
Upon first reflection, few would connect tranquil holiday cottages in Devon with the ancient toil of Roman construction. Yet the county is geologically blessed with unique limestone and sandstone deposits, and, on the Jurassic Coast by the village of Beer, there is a man-made limestone complex renowned for its beer-stone - a creamy-grey and finely-textured limestone. The Romans originally started an open-cut quarry, but mining from the Middle Ages has crafted spectacular underground caverns that are well worth the visit.
The Monks and Buckfast Abbey
Book one of the holiday cottages in Devon and travel from the Roman age to the Middle Ages when you visit Buckfast Abbey, near Buckfastleigh. It was originally founded in 1018, dedicated to Saint Mary, and was run by the Cistercian order until it was ransacked under the Dissolution of the Monasteries. The ruins were rebuilt two hundred years later, and the Benedictine order still uses it to this day. A grand edifice that now is self-sufficient, even producing its own wine, it offers a splendid testament to English history for the travellers perusal.
The Tudors and The Golden Hind
The British Empire was symbolised by its naval prowess and this county is the birthplace of famous mariners such as Sir Walter Raleigh and Sir Francis Drake. A visit to one of the holiday cottages in Devon gives you the chance to explore the distinct maritime history of the Tudors. Sir Francis Drake's vessel, The Golden Hind, which famously circumnavigated the globe between 1577 and 1580, has a replica berthed in Brixham that serves as museum of this fabled Tudor maritime history.
The Regency and Arlington Court
Built around 1820, by local architect Thomas Lee for John Chichester, Arlington Court sits on a 2700-acre estate and is a stunning tribute to Regency period architecture. Why not add to your stay in one of the holiday cottages in Devon with a scintillating taste of this grand, antique residence and its memories of English life in the pre-Victorian period?
The Living History of Clovelly Village
The sublime history of England scattered around this ancient county is not all ruins, shadows and memories. Tucked away behind thick woods in the Torridge district, Clovelly is a tiny village, inaccessible to cars and with a picturesque secluded harbour. What makes this privately owned village unique is the way it has preserved its cobbled streets, traditional donkeys, and wattle and daub houses in the original form of the 19th century, thus keeping its history well and truly alive.
