The watershed between the Taw and Torridge rivers provides the geographical setting for Winkleigh. The village has medieval traces alongside buildings from later centuries; local walks also provide approximate durations. During your stay, you can focus on village history, a cider-making tour, events or walks of varying lengths.
Landscape and History
Winkleigh sits on the higher points of the mid-Devon plateau, about 550 feet above sea level, on the watershed between the Taw and Torridge rivers. Croft Castle adds a specific historic structure to this landscape: the medieval motte-and-bailey site lies on a ridge overlooking the Bullow Brook valley to the south. Despite some damage, it has preserved archaeological information about Norman military activity in this part of Devon comparatively well and is a prominent feature of the village landscape.
The Church of All Saints also reflects several phases of construction. The Grade I listed parish church has parts dating from the early 14th century. A 15th-century rebuilding was followed by additions in the 17th and 19th centuries; it was extensively restored in 1872–1873 and again in 1902. Winkleigh Community Centre is a Grade II listed building in the Victorian Gothic style and retains many of its original features. Around Winkleigh Square, the buildings are predominantly made of traditional stone, earth or cob, or plaster; some are made of brick and granite.
The development of the medieval borough is another historical trace: it grew between two fortified manors at opposite ends of Winkleigh. Local history therefore spans settlement development and the different building phases visible in the church, Community Centre and houses around the Square.
Cider, Market and Fair
Cider-making in Winkleigh began in 1916 at Western Barn with Sam Inch. Sam’s Cider offers factory tours every Friday at 11 am. They cover the company’s history and the cider-making process from start to finish, comparing traditional methods with modern 21st-century techniques. If you would like to include a tour in your plans, check the date in advance.
Fiona’s Kitchen & Farm Shop in Winkleigh offers homemade food to eat in or take away. The business also sells traditional beef from animals raised on 100% pasture. A market is held at Winkleigh Village Hall on the first Saturday of every month. If you are planning your visit around the market, check the specific date in advance.
The Winkleigh Fair is one of Devon’s oldest surviving community traditions; the event was originally granted a royal charter in 1262. The programme includes the blessing of the well, the crowning of the Winkleigh Fair King and Winkleigh Fair Queen, and a ball-rolling competition. Individual activities may vary from year to year.
Visits to Scribbleton
Scribbleton offers family visits in Winkleigh with eleven role-play sets. It also has a central baby area with interactive, age-appropriate activities and a multisensory room that is free to use during your visit. The different areas provide specific focuses for a visit: role-play sets sit alongside activities for babies and a room available at no extra cost during your visit.
Walks by Duration
The approximate timings for the local routes make them easy to compare: the Hollocombe Walk takes about 1½ hours, the Broadwoodkelly Walk around 2 hours, and the Lymington Arms Walk about 2½ hours. The Hollocombe Walk can be started on the A3124 north of Winkleigh or in the village of Hollocombe. The Broadwoodkelly Walk starts at Winkleigh Village Square; for the Lymington Arms Walk, Eggesford Road in Winkleigh and the Lymington Arms are alternative starting points. A walk in Winkleigh starts at the Village Pump in the Village Square. As path conditions can change, check the information before setting out.
Discover more destinations: Ivybridge, Woolfardisworthy, Branscombe, Cove, Hawkchurch, Noss Mayo, Devonport, Seaton
For the main travel overview: Devon.
