South Molton

There are many buildings of interest in South Molton and an insight into the history of these Medieval, Georgian and Elizabethan buildings and the town itself can be found in the Heritage Trail which guides you around the town showing you glimpses of past and present and a wealth of interesting information.

South Molton’s church, dedicated to St Mary Magdalene, is believed to be the third church on this site and was built during the 15th century. The interior, which is well worth seeing, has fine stained glass windows that were mostly given during the 19th century in memory of local families.

Yes, there is ‘honey still for tea’ at the world famous Quince Honey Farm on the northern edge of the town. Here you can see the world of these fascinating, wild insects at close quarters in complete safety.

The Guildhall South Molton

The innovative design of the exhibition booths includes hives that open at the press of a button revealing the secret life of the honeybee and, as you wander through the building, you can follow the story of honey and beeswax from the flower to the table. The extensive shop area includes a tasting table and offers a variety of honey and beeswax products, including honey marmalade and honey and beeswax skin care products.

Be sure to round off your visit with a cream tea or a delicious honey ice cream in the cafeteria.

South Molton makes an ideal base for exploring the surrounding countryside which is some of the most beautiful and diverse in the area. In a very few miles you pass from the open heather moorland of Exmoor to the lush valleys and trout and salmon pools of the Taw Valley. That loveliest of rivers, the Mole, joins the two areas.

Travel west from South Molton on the B3226 following signs for Filleigh and you will arrive at the gates of one of the most outstanding estates in Devon.

Castle Hill was built in 1730 as the Earl Fortescue’s family home in North Devon. The Palladian House, in which his descendants, the Earl and Countess of Arran are living, is set in an 18th century parkland landscape with grass terraces and statues leading down to the river and lakes.

To the east side of the house is the Millennium Garden designed by Xa Tollemache, the Chelsea Gold Medallist. The large herbaceous borders are edged with box and lavender and an illuminated “topiary” water sculpture was designed and built by Giles Rayner in 2002. From there the path takes you to the formal terraced lawns in front of the house where the eye is then drawn across a small country road by a tree-lined avenue towards the Triumphal Arch built as an eye-catcher.

Following the path to the west of the house, the woodland gardens are reached where there are camellias, magnolias, rhododendrons, azaleas, hydrangeas and eucryphias planted in abundance. Together with many other beautiful shrubs and rare trees growing both by the river, along a network of woodland paths and in the Easter Close. Many of the paths, some gentle, some steep, are punctuated with follies, and temples built by each generation of the Fortescue family. The final climb takes you to the Castle perched splendidly on the high hill behind the house with magnificent views to Exmoor, Dartmoor and Lundy Island.