Discover Talaton: History and Walking Routes

Talaton combines historic houses, a church that is open every day and paths through the surrounding village landscape. Anyone looking for a mixture of culture and activity during their holiday will find concrete starting points here for planning their own day. A stay can be organised either more around the historic buildings or around the walking routes.

Historic Buildings with Their Own Character

One of the notable buildings is The Old Manor. The building is listed as a Grade II* building of architectural or historic interest. At the same time, it is an exceptionally well-preserved house with several building phases. It is precisely this combination of protected status and visible architectural history that makes The Old Manor an interesting destination for anyone who wants to learn not only about the landscape but also about the development of a place while travelling.

Rydon House is a small country house and is listed as a Grade II building of architectural or historic interest. A date on the roof points to the year 1822. This gives the house a different historical connection from The Old Manor: here, a specific clue on the building is the focus, whereas several building phases are defining features of the Old Manor.

Talaton Farmhouse is also one of the village's noteworthy historic buildings. The farmhouse, together with a cottage, forms a building complex dating from the late 15th to early 16th century. Anyone interested in older architectural forms and the history of rural buildings can regard these three examples as different stages in the history of the village.

Walks to Suit Your Day of Travel

For a clearly defined circuit, there is Talaton Walk 3. The route is 1.5 miles long, with around 40 minutes allocated for it. Take these details into account when planning your day and decide whether to plan the walk as an experience in its own right or combine it with further impressions of the village. One of Talaton's village circular walks runs partly alongside open grassland and complements the historic destinations with a landscape view of the surroundings.

A free leaflet with a sketch map of Talaton's village circular walks is available from the Talaton Community Shop. It can be helpful if you want to choose your routes locally using an overview. This allows you to distinguish between the specifically described Talaton Walk 3 and other village circular walks without having to determine your entire day's plans in advance.

The Church of St James the Great

The church of St James the Great is open every day during the daytime. It still contains a late Romanesque font. This means that the church complements the historic houses with a special detail from the history of ecclesiastical architecture and furnishings. You can put the church on your itinerary as a cultural highlight in its own right and then decide whether a walk or further exploration of the buildings better suits your day of travel.

Talaton as a Starting Point for Choosing Accommodation

When looking for holiday accommodation in Talaton, it is worth first deciding what you want to focus on during your holiday. If you prefer historic architecture, The Old Manor, Rydon House, Talaton Farmhouse and the church of St James the Great are the key points of interest. If you would rather spend time outdoors, Talaton Walk 3 and the village circular walks, with their section alongside open grassland, take centre stage.

For more travel ideas, you can also look at Manaton, Instow, Wick, Combe Martin, Kingsbridge, Virginstowe, Yarcombe and Newton Abbot. With listed houses, details from ecclesiastical history and different walking opportunities, Talaton itself provides a well-structured basis for a varied stay.

For the higher-level travel overview: Devon.