St Lawrence’s Church and the cross-ridge dyke near Southleigh offer different historical perspectives: at the church, building phases and tombs stand out, while the earthwork is notable for its length, visible section and connection to the landscape. Blackbury Castle draws attention to the shape of the land; at Blackbury Camp, the spring bloom of bluebells shapes the seasonal impression.

St Lawrence’s Church: an overview of its building phases

St Lawrence’s Church has Norman origins and a 15th-century tower. The west tower is also the only surviving part of the medieval church. This makes the building’s history tangible in a specific architectural feature: the tower links the church’s earlier history with what remains of the medieval building.

Later alterations add to this picture. The south aisle was added in 1821, the chancel in 1854, and the church was extensively restored in 1881. The dates therefore represent different interventions: additions to individual parts of the building and a major restoration. Together, they show a sequence of building phases rather than a single construction date.

Tombs: dates, dedications and details

The tombs can be considered in terms of their dates, dedications and design. The Willoughby chest tomb is dated 1616 and dedicated to Henry Willoughby. At the west end is a carved heraldic relief, a specific detail of the tomb’s craftsmanship.

The two Ham chest tombs are dedicated to Richard Ham (1752) and Andrew Ham (1667), respectively. The monuments therefore highlight different dates and dedications, while the information about the church describes its building phases. This distinction helps to read the tombs and the building history as separate historical subjects.

The cross-ridge dyke near Southleigh

The known section of the cross-ridge dyke near Southleigh is 640 metres long. Its northernmost 200 metres are visible as a low, flat earth bank in fields behind The Three Horse Shoes Inn. The measurements refer to different things: 640 metres is the length of the known section, while 200 metres is its visible northern part.

The archaeological monument on both sides of the inn is considered a rare surviving example of its type. It contains archaeological and environmental history information about the landscape in which it was built. Its significance therefore goes beyond the visible form of the earth bank: its relationship with the landscape is also part of its history.

Blackbury Castle and its setting

The Iron Age univallate hillfort of Blackbury Castle lies on an east–west spur extending from the Broad-Down plateau. From there, it overlooks valleys formed by tributaries of the River Coly. The description thus links the form of the site with its topographical setting: the spur, plateau and valleys together form the hillfort’s landscape setting.

Blackbury Camp in spring

At Blackbury Camp, the banks and ditches take on a seasonal character. In spring, they are covered with a dense carpet of brightly flowering bluebells. This provides a specific point of reference for planning a trip if the season and the flowers are factors in deciding when to visit.

Discover more destinations: Ilfracombe, Yelverton, Hartland, Lydford, Wotter, Shirwell, Kenton, Molland

For the main travel overview: Devon.