Historic North Devon
Explore hidden histories, historic photos, and things you never knew about North Devon from the collections and archives of Historic England.
Discover North Devon's listed buildings and places
Introducing some of North Devon's most significant historic sites, curated from the National Heritage List for England.
Barnstaple Castle
Barnstaple
Motte and bailey castles are medieval fortifications introduced into Britain by the Normans.
Oliver Buildings at the Former Shapland and Petter Factory
Barnstaple
The former offices and showroom, and the surviving part of the furniture factory of Shapland and Petter, built in 1888 to designs by local architect...
Eight Second World War concrete replica landing craft str…
Braunton
Eight concrete replica landing craft structures, built in 1943 for training in preparation for D-Day. Read the official list entry to find out more.
Second World War bombing range target indicator and obser…
Georgeham
Second World War bombing range target indicator and observation post overlooking Putsborough Sands and Morte Bay, built in around 1942.
Four medieval fish weirs 500m east of the Harbour
Minehead
Coastal fish weirs are artificial barriers created within the inter-tidal zone, using stone walls, wattle or timber fencing to channel fish into...
Writing Hut of Henry Williamson
Georgeham
Henry Williamson's writing hut, built by the author from 1929-30. Read the official list entry to find out more.
Holwell Castle
Parracombe
Motte and bailey castles are medieval fortifications introduced into Britain by the Normans.
Myrtleberry North Camp, a late prehistoric multiple enclo…
Lynton and Lynmouth
Multiple enclosure forts comprise an inner and one or more outer enclosed areas, together measuring up to c.10ha, and defined by sub-circular or sub-...
Shoulsbarrow Castle (Shaulsbury)
Brayford
Small multivallate hillforts are defined as fortified enclosures of varying shape, generally between 1 and 5ha in size and located on hilltops.
Old Burrow
Brendon and Countisbury
Roman fortlets are small rectangular enclosures with rounded corners defined by a fortified rampart of turf and earth with one or more outer ditches.
Martinhoe Castle (Roman signal station)
Martinhoe
Roman signal stations were rectangular towers of stone or wood situated within ditched, embanked, palisaded or walled enclosures and were built by the...
Standing stones on eastern edge of Furzehill Common
Lynton and Lynmouth
Exmoor is the most easterly of the three main upland areas in the south western peninsula of England.
Three standing stones 550m, 700m and 820m north of Damage…
Ilfracombe
Standing stones are prehistoric ritual or ceremonial monuments with dates ranging from the Late Neolithic to the end of the Bronze Age for the few...
Deserted medieval village 630m north-west of Clannacombe …
Brendon and Countisbury
The village, comprising a small group of houses, gardens, yards, streets, paddocks, often with a green, a manor and a church, and with a community...
Spreacombe Manor Well Chapel, Braunton
Mortehoe
Holy wells are water sources with specifically Christian associations.
Setta Barrow and three round barrows to the south
Brayford
Bowl barrows, the most numerous form of round barrow, are funerary monuments dating from the Late Neolithic period to the Late Bronze Age, with most...
Chapman Longstone
Challacombe
Standing stones are prehistoric ritual or ceremonial monuments with dates ranging from the Late Neolithic to the end of the Bronze Age for the few...
62, Boutport Street
Barnstaple
62 Boutport Street, originally a 1620 house, features remarkable plaster ceilings with biblical and animal motifs.
Castle Hill
Chittlehampton
Castle Hill is a historically significant estate developed since the 18th century by notable figures like Earl Clinton and Lord Fortescue, featuring...
Bull House
Barnstaple
Bull House, once belonging to Pilton Priory, passed to the Bret family post-Dissolution.
Cricket Pavilion and score box, including adjacent former…
Instow
Cricket pavilion of early C19 date with associated C20 score box and adjacent Second World War pillbox.
Long Bridge
Barnstaple
Long Bridge in Barnstaple, originating from the 13th century, features medieval and later architectural elements, including 16 arches and historical...
St Annes Chapel and Old Grammar School Museum Including W…
Barnstaple
**Summary:** St Anne's Chapel, originally a 14th-century chantry chapel, later housed a grammar school and now serves as a museum, featuring notable...
Church of St Petrocks
Parracombe
The Church of St Petrocks in Parracombe, featuring 13th-century and later architecture, retains remarkably intact 17th-18th century interior fittings.
The Chapel of St Anne with Lych Gate, Saunton
Braunton
A chapel of 1898 designed by the architect Frederick James Commin of Exeter (1854-1933) with matching lychgate and a stained glass tripartite window...
Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin
Barnstaple
The Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin in Pilton, Barnstaple, features elements from the 13th and 15th centuries and notable monuments, including Sir...
Second World War practice rocket wall
Braunton
A concrete practice rocket, or 'Bazooka', wall built for the American forces in 1943 as part of the training preparations for the D-Day landings.
Slight univallate hillfort called The Castle
Braunton
Slight univallate hillforts are defined as enclosures of various shapes, generally between 1ha and 10ha in size, situated on or close to hilltops and...
Four round barrows on Muxworthy Ridge
Brayford
Exmoor is the most easterly of the three main upland areas in the south western peninsula of England.
Henge monument on Parracombe Common
Parracombe
Exmoor is the most easterly of the three main upland areas in the south western peninsula of England.
Two round barrows on West Anstey Common
West Anstey
Exmoor is the most easterly of the three main upland areas in the south western peninsula of England.
Smythapark hillfort
Loxhore
Slight univallate hillforts are defined as enclosures of various shapes, generally between 1ha and 10ha in size, situated on or close to hilltops and...
Stone row N of Five Barrows Hill
North Molton
Exmoor is the most easterly of the three main upland areas in the south western peninsula of England.
The Long Stone, 275m south east of Horseford Lodge
East Worlington
Standing stones are prehistoric ritual or ceremonial monuments with dates ranging from the Late Neolithic to the end of the Bronze Age for the few...
Furzehill Common 3: a stone alignment and associated cair…
Lynton and Lynmouth
Exmoor is the most easterly of the three main upland areas in the south western peninsula of England.
Church of the Holy Trinity
Burrington
The Church of the Holy Trinity is a largely medieval parish church with impressive Perpendicular roofs, a chancel screen, and unique granite...
Earthwork defences of Countisbury Castle promontory fort
Lynton and Lynmouth
Promontory forts are a type of hillfort in which conspicuous naturally defended sites are adapted as enclosures by the construction of one or more...
Historic North Devon through time
The National Heritage List for England contains hundreds of details about buildings and places, including the periods in which they were built and the uses they've had over the years. Explore how your local area has changed through time.
Prehistoric Before AD 43
Prehistory covers a million years of human occupation before the Roman invasion and the introduction of writing. Primarily hunter-gatherers of several human species including Neanderthals, the peoples moved across Europe, hunting animals, exchanging ideas and developing complex culture and belief systems including burial rites and astronomical understanding, as at Stonehenge for example.
Roman AD 43 to AD 410
Britain was invaded by four legions of the Roman army in AD 43, who relatively rapidly conquered England from landing points in Kent. Parts of Wales and Scotland soon followed.
Roman culture brought urbanism, monumental buildings, wide-ranging religious beliefs, writing, and strong social hierarchy. The Roman administrative system was withdrawn in AD 410.
Early medieval AD 410 to AD 1066
This period, often associated in England with Anglo-Saxons and Vikings, saw a reduction in urban living from the Roman period and increased migration from northern Europe.
Traces of this period can be found in cemeteries, particularly in artefacts and in some of the very early churches, as this period also saw the growth of Christianity in Britain.
Medieval AD 1066 to AD 1540
This period, sometimes known as the Middle Ages, began with the Norman invasion in AD 1066. It saw a significant rise in military and defensive buildings such as castles and earthworks, as well as religious houses dominating a largely agricultural landscape.
The monarchy and Church dominated the period, which also saw the break with the Roman Church and the English reformation.
Post medieval AD 1540 to AD 1901
The Post-Medieval period brought seismic changes to life in England, with religious reformation leading to the democratization of worship and the destruction of hundreds of religious houses.
In parallel, there was a huge expansion of scientific study and enlightenment that permanantly altered the nation's social structure and landscape. Industrialization and mass production lead to wider global trade, emigration, and immigration.
20th century AD 1901 to AD 2000
The 20th century saw an incredible expansion of England's transport networks, with suburban growth shadowing rapid infrastructural expansion. The establishment of state schools, hospitals, and modern technical colleges, with new architectural styles, radically changed the appearance of towns and cities.
Two catastrophic world wars and the 1918 pandemic also brought unprecedented change, altering England's built environment and social structures forever.
Prehistoric Before AD 43
Prehistory covers a million years of human occupation before the Roman invasion and the introduction of writing. Primarily hunter-gatherers of several human species including Neanderthals, the peoples moved across Europe, hunting animals, exchanging ideas and developing complex culture and belief systems including burial rites and astronomical understanding, as at Stonehenge for example.
Roman AD 43 to AD 410
Britain was invaded by four legions of the Roman army in AD 43, who relatively rapidly conquered England from landing points in Kent. Parts of Wales and Scotland soon followed.
Roman culture brought urbanism, monumental buildings, wide-ranging religious beliefs, writing, and strong social hierarchy. The Roman administrative system was withdrawn in AD 410.
Early medieval AD 410 to AD 1066
This period, often associated in England with Anglo-Saxons and Vikings, saw a reduction in urban living from the Roman period and increased migration from northern Europe.
Traces of this period can be found in cemeteries, particularly in artefacts and in some of the very early churches, as this period also saw the growth of Christianity in Britain.
Medieval AD 1066 to AD 1540
This period, sometimes known as the Middle Ages, began with the Norman invasion in AD 1066. It saw a significant rise in military and defensive buildings such as castles and earthworks, as well as religious houses dominating a largely agricultural landscape.
The monarchy and Church dominated the period, which also saw the break with the Roman Church and the English reformation.
Post medieval AD 1540 to AD 1901
The Post-Medieval period brought seismic changes to life in England, with religious reformation leading to the democratization of worship and the destruction of hundreds of religious houses.
In parallel, there was a huge expansion of scientific study and enlightenment that permanantly altered the nation's social structure and landscape. Industrialization and mass production lead to wider global trade, emigration, and immigration.
20th century AD 1901 to AD 2000
The 20th century saw an incredible expansion of England's transport networks, with suburban growth shadowing rapid infrastructural expansion. The establishment of state schools, hospitals, and modern technical colleges, with new architectural styles, radically changed the appearance of towns and cities.
Two catastrophic world wars and the 1918 pandemic also brought unprecedented change, altering England's built environment and social structures forever.
Aerial photos of North Devon
Historic aerial photography shows the growth and changes in England's urban and rural landscapes, revealing secrets that are impossible to see from the ground.
Ilfracombe
View of Ilfracombe and Ilfracombe Harbour, Ilfracombe, 1920
Ilfracombe
The harbour and town, Ilfracombe, 1932
Lynmouth
Lynmouth Street and environs, Lynmouth, 1930
Lynmouth
Eastern and Western Beaches and Glen Lyn Gorge, Lynmouth, 1950
Ilfracombe
Granville Road and Wilder Road area, Ilfracombe, 1920
Ilfracombe
The Ilfracombe Hotel, Capstone Hill and the town, Ilfracombe, 1932
Ilfracombe
Horne Road, Church Street and environs, Ilfracombe, 1930
Ilfracombe
Capstone Hill, Victoria Pavilion and the town, Ilfracombe, 1932
Ilfracombe
The Runnacleave Hotel and the town, Ilfracombe, 1930
South Molton
Mill Street and environs, South Molton, 1930
Historic England Archive images of North Devon
The Historic England Archive holds and cares for over 15 million images, from the 1850s to the present day. Discover stunning images of North Devon's past.
Charles George Harper Collection
Badgworthy Water, West Somerset, Somerset
Date created: 1892 - 1933
Looking upstream along Badgworthy Water, with hills to either side
Eric de Mare
North Devon, Devon
Date created: 1945 - 1980
Exterior view of the Gatehouse at Tawstock Court. Above the doorway is a coat of arms and the date 1574.
John Gay Collection: Rural Life
West Worlington, North Devon, Devon
Date created: 1955 - 1965
A view from an elevated position in West Worlington, looking down over the main lane through the village with its thatched cottages, and with a rural...
John Gay Collection: Counties
West Worlington, North Devon, Devon
Date created: 1955 - 1965
A view from a lane showing the plaster deterioration on the gable end of Stucley Arms, formerly Stucley Arms Inn, with Knights Cottage further up the...
John Laing Collection
Ilfracombe, North Devon, Devon
Date created: 12 Jun 1954
People waving on the deck of the PS Bristol Queen during a Laing staff trip to Ilfracombe
Nigel Temple Collection of Postcards of Parks and Gardens
North Devon, Devon
Date created: 1920 - 1950
GENERAL VIEW SHOWING NORTH ENTRANCE TO PARK
Margaret Tomlinson Collection
North Devon, Devon
Date created: 01 Mar 1943 - 17 Jul 1943
The Albert Hall (now the Queen's Theatre) viewed from Boutport Street
Eric de Mare
Landkey, North Devon, Devon
Date created: 1945 - 1980
Detail view of the Acland monument in St Paul's Church in Landkey showing the effigy of Sir Arthur Acland who died in 1610.
John Gay Collection: Rural Life
West Worlington, North Devon, Devon
Date created: 1955 - 1965
A view from an elevated position in West Worlington, looking down over the main lane through the village with its thatched cottages, and with a rural...
John Gay Collection: Counties
West Worlington, North Devon, Devon
Date created: 1955 - 1965
A view from behind a village wall, showing Stucley Arms on the left, a thatched cottage named 'Mildmay' on the right, and the timber twisted broach...
Nigel Temple Collection of Postcards of Parks and Gardens
North Devon, Devon
Date created: 1900 - 1905
GENERAL VIEW WITH BANDSTAND IN THE DISTANCE
Stories about heritage in North Devon
Historic England publishes news, blogs, videos and podcasts celebrating England's heritage. Discover the stories we have about North Devon.
8 Images of a Frosted England
Mentions Iron Age defended settlement called Roborough Castle
Baby, it’s cold outside!
A Brief Introduction to Vernacular Houses
Mentions Williams Arms
Vernacular houses were built to reflect local customs and traditions using locally available materials like wood, stone and brick.
7 Inspiring Writers’ Retreats
Mentions Writing Hut of Henry Williamson
Many of our favourite author’s writing spots are protected.
Volunteers Help Care for Local Archaeology in Torridge, North Devon
Mentions North Devon
Several new projects are underway as part of a scheme to protect and celebrate the remarkable archaeology of the Torridge district in north Devon.
Historic England Awards a Grant of £260,692 for Urgent Repairs to Barnstaple Guildhall
Mentions The Guildhall, North Devon
The funding will enable Barnstaple Town Council to begin urgent repairs to the exterior stonework, render, windows, and roof to ensure the Guildhall...
Heritage at Risk in the South West Revealed
Mentions North Devon
74 sites have been saved and 43 sites added to the Heritage at Risk Register 2023 in the South West.
Explore your social history through photos
Over 10,000 images from the Historic England Archive have been specially selected and re-captioned for teachers, students, and anyone who wants to learn more about heritage in their local area.
Victoria Pavilion, Wilder Road, Ilfracombe, Devon
Period: Edwardian (1902 - 1913)
An interior view of the Victoria Pavilion.
Victoria Pavilion, Wilder Road, Ilfracombe, Devon
Victoria Pavilion, Wilder Road, Ilfracombe, Devon
Period: Edwardian (1902 - 1913)
A nurse with two young girls pushing a perambulator (pram) along a path in front of the Victoria Pavilion.
Victoria Pavilion, Wilder Road, Ilfracombe, Devon
Town Hall, Lee Road, Lynton, Devon
Period: Victorian (1837 - 1901)
The town hall cornerstone was laid in 1898. The building was opened by the donor, Sir George Newnes, on the 15 August 1900.
Town Hall, Lee Road, Lynton, Devon
The Sea Wall, Ilfracombe, Devon
Period: Victorian (1837 - 1901)
An elevated view from Capstone Hill looking south towards the Ilfracombe and the beach.
The Sea Wall, Ilfracombe, Devon
The Law Memorial Almshouses, Bishops Tawton Road, Bishops Tawton, Devon
Period: Victorian (1837 - 1901)
These almshouses have 12 flats and date back to 1885.
The Law Memorial Almshouses, Bishops Tawton Road, Bishops Tawton, Devon
The Harbour, Lynmouth, Devon
Period: Edwardian (1902 - 1913)
A view of housing along the front taken from the harbour.
The Harbour, Lynmouth, Devon
The Harbour, Ilfracombe, Devon
Period: Victorian (1837 - 1901)
Elevated view looking west across the harbour and Lantern Hill towards the buildings of Ilfracombe.
The Harbour, Ilfracombe, Devon
St Nicholas' Chapel and Lighthouse, Lantern Hill, Ilfracombe, Devon
Period: Medieval (Middle Ages) (1066 - 1484)
This chapel incorporating a lighthouse lantern is situated on a high rock, known as Lantern Hill, between the sea and harbour.
St Nicholas' Chapel and Lighthouse, Lantern Hill, Ilfracombe, Devon