St Peter, Exmoor Zoological Park and a public footpath along the former railway line represent different sides of Bratton Fleming: architectural history, wildlife and walking. When planning, it helps to decide on your main focus first. For the zoo, bookable animal experiences and transport are key; for a route, consider its course and local access conditions, and for the bus, check the current timetable.
History in buildings and landscape
The church of St Peter in Bratton Fleming is a Grade II listed building; parts of the church date from the 14th century. The listing and the dating describe different things: Grade II denotes the building’s listed status, while only parts are specifically dated to the 14th century. This provides a concrete reference point for its architectural history, without assigning the entire building to a single century.
On Bratton Down, three bowl barrows stand on a high ridge overlooking the valley of a tributary of the River Bray. They are designated as a Scheduled Monument; the three barrows lie 180 m east and 300 m north-east of Stowford Cross. Both details are useful for putting them in context: Bratton Down identifies the ridge, while Stowford Cross is the reference point for the distances.
At North Thorne, a series of earthworks and buried layers, deposits and structures have been preserved. The different forms of preservation range from earthworks to remains beneath the surface—another way of exploring the past, distinct from the architectural history of St Peter.
Animal experiences at Exmoor Zoo
Exmoor Zoological Park in Bratton Fleming is home to many endangered species. It also offers bookable animal keeper experiences and interactions with animals. This adds a nature-focused option with specific experiences to the area’s architectural and landscape history. If a particular experience will shape your stay, check dates and availability in advance.
Paths and transport
South of Bratton Fleming Station, a public footpath runs through Bratton Woods and closely follows the former railway line. Route information may change, so check local access conditions before setting out.
North of Bratton Fleming, a minor public road runs between Hunnacott and Narracott along the former railway line. The two descriptions differ in location and type of route: to the south, a footpath is mentioned; to the north, a public road. Take these differences and local access conditions into account when planning.
Bus route 310 runs between Lynmouth, Bratton Fleming and Barnstaple. Check the current timetable if you plan to use this service. To travel to Exmoor Zoo, passengers on bus route A310 can ask the driver to drop them at the zoo turn-off from the A399. They then have to walk a quarter of a mile down a country lane and back again. Allow for this stretch on foot and check transport information before travelling.
If history or the routes are your main focus, take the relevant route conditions into account when planning.
Discover more destinations: Berrynarbor, Torrington, Yarcombe, North Molton, North Tawton, Holsworthy, Milton Abbot, Colyton
For the broader travel overview: Devon.
