Merton’s history can be discovered through very different traces: a parish church with medieval features, a site surrounded by a moat, and the former ball clay railway in the west. The themes range from church and house history to the industrial history of ball clay extraction, showing how varied historical traces can be preserved in a village.

Church and Village Centre

A large part of the village lies within a Conservation Area centred on The Square and the Grade II* listed All Saints Church. All Saints has features dating from the 15th century and was restored in 1875 by Medley Fulford. Its fittings bring together other historic details: the font is Norman, and there is also a carved, pyramidal Jacobean cover. Medieval stained glass depicts St Edmund the Confessor, St Margaret, St Christopher and St Anthony.

All Saints is open for services; check before you arrive whether a visit is possible at your preferred time. The church thus provides a direct way to connect with local history, subject to a clear practical condition for visiting.

Houses and Archaeological Monument

Great Potheridge’s history spans very different periods. The country house is Grade I listed; George Monk rebuilt it around 1660–1670, before it was largely demolished in 1734. Great Potheridge was the birthplace of General George Monck, 1st Duke of Albemarle, in 1608. The building history and the biographical connection are two different aspects of the same place name.

Downes House adds a different building history to this picture: the former farmhouse dates from around 1500 and was extensively remodelled in the early to mid-17th century. Its distinctive features include a 17th-century plaster-overmantel relief with a coat of arms and Jacobean strapwork. Its history as a house thus extends from the building’s earlier use to a precisely described decorative feature.

West of All Saints Church, near Grange Farm, is a site surrounded by a moat. The protected Scheduled Monument is well preserved as a buried archaeological site and is considered a relatively rare example of its type in Devon. Unlike the building history of the houses, this site points to archaeological traces beneath the ground.

Routes, Industrial History and Nature

The former ball clay railway through western Merton is now part of the Tarka Trail network of walking and cycling routes. The North Devon and Cornwall Junction Light Railway ran through western Merton from 1925 to 1982 and served the ball clay industry. Today’s routes for walks and cycle rides therefore sit alongside a history of industrial transport. Merton Moor, on the boundary between the parishes of Merton and Petrockstowe, has been used for ball clay extraction for many years.

For those interested in wildlife and environmental issues, the Merton and Huish Wildlife Group offers talks, walks and activities. This adds another possible focus alongside the historic buildings and industrial history, without limiting the area’s history to individual attractions.

Getting There and Visiting

Merton is on the A386 between Bideford and Okehampton. If you are planning the drive, check the current traffic conditions. When planning your visit, the church and house history, the former ball clay railway and the Wildlife Group’s activities offer different points of interest.

Discover More Destinations

Wimbledon, Mitcham, Merton, City Of London, Hackney, Tower Hamlets, Bexley, Brent

For the parent travel overview: Greater London.