Drewsteignton combines architectural history with trails through the village and surrounding landscape. The Church of the Holy Trinity and its grounds form an important focal point of the village; Fingle Bridge is within walking distance of Drewsteignton. Other highlights include riverside trails and viewpoints overlooking Dartmoor. When planning your trip, you can choose between local history and experiences in nature.
Village Centre and Architectural History
The Church of the Holy Trinity and its grounds form an important focal point in Drewsteignton and are used and valued daily by residents and visitors. The church is a Grade I listed granite building in the 15th-century Perpendicular style. Church Rooms adds another chapter to this story: the Grade II* listed building dates from the 16th century and now serves as a village hall.
The Drewe Arms also combines architectural history with present-day use. The inn is listed Grade II*; its architectural character has remained largely unchanged since the late 19th century. Together, the church, village hall and inn offer different ways to explore the village’s architecture and how its buildings are used. Those interested in architectural styles can compare the granite Perpendicular church, the older village hall and the inn’s enduring character.
Monuments and Their Stories
Separate from Drewsteignton’s local history, Spinster’s Rock is a Scheduled Monument and a portal dolmen. Three upright stones, each about two metres high, support a capstone up to five metres long and three metres wide. According to tradition, three unmarried women built the monument one morning before breakfast. After it collapsed in 1862, it was re-erected ten months later.
Prestonbury Castle is a different kind of site: a small multivallate hillfort on a prominent ridge overlooking the valleys of the River Teign and a tributary. The site is well preserved and unusual on Dartmoor because of its size. Separate from Drewsteignton’s local history, Castle Drogo is a Grade I listed house, originally designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens in 1911. The trails around Castle Drogo offer views of the wider landscape and the house itself.
Trails Between Village and Landscape
The Two Moors Way runs through the centre of Drewsteignton. Fingle Bridge is within walking distance from there. At the bridge, miles of trails follow the river; a climb leads to viewpoints overlooking Dartmoor. These options offer different experiences: the Two Moors Way passes through the village centre, while the riverside trails and climb to the viewpoints are the main attractions at Fingle Bridge.
Nearby, Fingle Woods offers 45 kilometres of new trails. Together with the trails at Fingle Bridge, they provide another way to experience the landscape. When planning your trip, you can consider whether to focus your stay more on village history, riverside trails or views across Dartmoor.
Discover more destinations: Chapelton, Cornwood, Upton Pyne, Lamerton, Black Torrington, Axminster, Ware, Broadwoodwidger.
For the overview of the wider region: Devon.
