18 Iconic Buildings to Explore in Devon

Arlington Court is a neoclassical style country house built 1820-23, situated in the parish of Arlington, next to the parish church of St James, 5 1/4 miles NE of Barnstaple, North Devon, England. Today, the house, together with the Chichester family's collection of antique furniture and an eclectic collection of family memorabilia, is fully open to the public.

Berry Pomeroy Castle, a Tudor mansion within the walls of an earlier castle, is near the village of Berry Pomeroy, in South Devon. Begun in around 1560 and ambitiously enlarged from around 1600, their mansion was intended to become the most spectacular house in Devon, a match for Longleat and Audley End. Never completed, and abandoned by 1700, it became the focus of blood-curdling ghost stories, recounted in the audio tour.

A majestic place with over 60 acres of beautiful gardens with their soft sweeping lawns, elegant water features, fragrant English borders and formal Gardens. There’s a miniature village, a large climbing camp and acres of informal gardens to explore and play in. There’s an educational nature trail where many birds can be seen feeding and heard singing, you can even learn to identify their calls.

Castle Drogo is situated high above the Teign Gorge. It was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens for self-made millionaire Julius Drewe. It looks ancient, but this remarkable building was only constructed 100 years ago, the last castle ever built in England. Set within 600 acres of park and formal garden, Castle Drogo is a modern interpretation of medieval themes.

Chambercombe Manor is a Norman manor owned by the Champernon family from around 1162. In the early 16th century it became the property of Henry Duke of Suffolk father of the ill fated Lady Jane Grey. Elizabethan furniture shares the interior with later Victorian decor. Lady Jane Grey is known to have visited the house. It was one of the iconic attraction and a worth visit.

It is the former holiday home of Agatha Christie and her family. It was situated in a large and romantic woodland garden which sweeps down the hillside towards the River Dart. Each room in the house is full of items collected by Christie and her family and brought to Greenway from her childhood home or archaeological digs with her second husband Max. One of the iconic attractions in this area and attracts a lot of tourists.

The National Trust's Knightshayes, Devon, is a Victorian country house surrounded by acres of glorious gardens and parkland. The house is Grade I listed. The gardens are Grade II* listed in the National Register of Historic Parks and Gardens. Out in the parkland, there are woodland walks, acres of tenanted farmland (home to our tenant farmers Exmoor Horn sheep), and our wild play area- so there really is something for everyone.

La Ronde is an 18th-century 16-sided house located near Lympstone, Exmouth, Devon, England, and in the ownership of the National Trust. The house was built for two spinster cousins, Jane and Mary Parminter. The inspiration behind the building’s design is often attributed to the Basilica of San Vitale in Ravenna, with its many-sided shape and vaulted octagonal tower. The finished structure consists of 20 rooms, all intricately decorated by the cousins themselves.

Coleton Fishacre is a wonderful country house in Art Deco style, set in a beautiful wooded valley on the south Devon coast near the mouth of the River Dart. The garden at Coleton Fishacre runs down a narrow combe from the house to the sea at Pudcombe Cove. It was originally planted by Lady Dorothy and features rare and exotic plants, some of which are unusual in their ability to grow.

The National Trust's Compton Castle, Devon, is a dramatic fortified manor house and small formal garden. A rare survivor, this medieval fortress with high curtain walls, towers and a portcullis, set in a landscape of rolling hills and orchards, is a bewitching mixture of romance and history. One of the iconic attraction here and it attracts a lot of tourists.

Killerton House is the focal point of a substantial estate given to the National Trust in 1944 by Sir Richard Acland. The Aclands settled in this part of the country in the 16th century and earned the hereditary title of baronet by their loyalty to the King in the Civil War. The estate covers some 2590 hectares. Included in the Estate is a steep wooded hillside with the remains of an Iron Age Hillfort on top of it, also known as Dolby, which has also yielded evidence of Roman occupation, thoug

Watersmeet House is a former fishing lodge located near Lynmouth and used today as an information center, tea room, and shop by the National Trust, who have owned it since 1996. It stands at the bottom of a deep gorge at the confluence of the East Lyn River and Hoar Oak Water. The house itself lies on the east bank of the river in the civil parish of Brendon and Countisbury, although the other bank is in Lynton and Lynmouth parish.

The remains of the largest castle in Devon, in a stunning setting on a wooded spur above the rushing River Okement. Begun soon after the Norman Conquest as a motte and bailey castle with a stone keep, it was converted into a sumptuous residence in the 14th century by Hugh Courtenay, Earl of Devon, much of whose work survives. After the last Courtenay owner fell foul of Henry VIII in 1539, the castle declined into a ruin.

An Edwardian house with a wonderful sea view. The museum houses Overbeck's collections of stuffed animals, and exhibitions of model sailing ships and various nautical and shipbuilding tools. There is also a sub-tropical garden paradise that has unusual plants from all round the globe.

Powderham Castle enjoys a unique, picturesque setting within an ancient deer park beside the Exe estuary, just south of Exeter. Over 600 years of history can be discovered within the walls of one of Devon's oldest family homes. It is situated on flat, formerly marshy ground on the west bank of the River Exe estuary where it is joined by its tributary the River Kenn. On the opposite side of the Exe is the small village of Lympstone. It is a Grade I listed building. The park and gardens are Grad

The Garden House is an exceptional garden on the fringes of Dartmoor in Devon. It's funded entirely by the work of a small charity; 'The Fortescue Garden Trust'. Packed with plants and colors for all seasons, it is well worth visiting most of the year. The tower in the walled garden offers magnificent views of the landscape. There is a new Arboretum which has great displays of colors in the Autumn.

One of the best-preserved examples of a Norman motte and bailey castle in England. Climb to the top of the keep to enjoy stunning views over the town of Totnes and across to the River Dart. Or enjoy a picnic in the peaceful grounds under the shelter of age-old trees - there is plenty of space for families to relax on a summer's day.

Watermouth Castle is a building in Watermouth, near Ilfracombe, North Devon, England, designed by George Wightwick as a residence for the Bassett family in the mid-19th century and is not a true castle but a country house built to resemble one. It has been designated as a Grade II* listed building. It houses a beautiful collection of Victorian antiques centered on domestic tools and amusement machines, a family theme park and holiday apartments.