Martinhoe can be explored through several historical themes: The Beacon as a Roman signal station, the parish church of St Martin and its building history, and the archaeological features of Martinhoe Common. When planning your trip, you can distinguish Roman, ecclesiastical and landscape archaeology interests rather than grouping them all under a single theme.
Roman Remains at The Beacon
Martinhoe Castle, also known as The Beacon, is a Roman signal station located 850 m northwest of Martinhoe. The Martinhoe Roman Fortlet walking trail leads to the Roman fortlet of The Beacon. The names refer to different things: Martinhoe Castle and The Beacon mean the same signal station, while Martinhoe Roman Fortlet refers to the walking trail. This historical theme therefore includes both a specific Roman destination and a named route. The signal station lies northwest of Martinhoe; the walking trail leads to it. If you are particularly interested in the Roman past, you can include both aspects in your trip planning.
St Martin’s Church: Chancel and Fittings
The Church of St Martin is a Grade II* listed parish church in Martinhoe. Its chancel dates from the late 13th or early 14th century. S. S. Teulon restored the church in 1866–1867. The font represents a separate chronological and design feature: it dates from 1864, is made of polychrome marble and is decorated with foliage. Its date is two to three years before the restoration. This comparison distinguishes the fittings from the later intervention, rather than treating both as a single building phase. At St Martin, you can distinguish a medieval structural element, a 19th-century restoration and a precisely dated piece of church furniture. Those interested in church architecture will find different aspects of the building and fittings history here, each of which can be considered on its own.
Burial Mounds on Martinhoe Common
Six bowl barrows on Martinhoe Common lie on a prominent ridge overlooking Woody Bay. Seven round barrows on the common are probably Bronze Age and are visible as low, grass-covered mounds of earth and stone. The Bronze Age dating of the round barrows remains probable, not certain; their visible form, by contrast, is described specifically. Thus, both the ridge-top location and the shape of the mounds stand out as distinct features of the landscape on the common. If you plan to visit the mounds, check their current physical condition in advance.
Historic Trackways and Landscape
The hollow ways on the eastern side of Martinhoe Common form part of the historic route from the Woody Bay area to Parracombe. This brings a historic route into focus alongside the church, signal station and burial mounds. The hollow ways complement the built and archaeological features with a route through the landscape. Together with the burial mounds, they show that Martinhoe’s historical themes take different forms: a named Roman site, the architectural and decorative details of a parish church, and archaeological and historic traces in the landscape. You can choose among these themes separately, depending on whether you are more interested in architecture, Roman history or landscape archaeology.
Martinhoe is designated as the Exmoor Heritage Coast. If you would like to check the details of this designation for a specific visit, contact the park authority. This keeps planning around the designation separate from choosing the historical themes that interest you most in Martinhoe.
Discover more destinations: Bradninch, Burlescombe, Sparkwell, Lympstone, Dittisham, Dartmouth, Braunton, Exbourne
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