Culmstock

Lovers of RD Blackmore’s novel Lorna Doone will be particularly interested in Culmstock since it was here that the author lived as a boy during the years that his father was the Vicar. One of his playmates in the village was Frederick Temple, another bright boy, and the two friends both went on to Blundell’s School at Tiverton where they shared lodgings. Blackmore was to become one of the most successful novelists of his time; Temple entered the church and after several years as Headmaster of Rugby School reached the pinnacle of his profession as Archbishop of Canterbury.

In the centre of the village stands Culmstock’s parish Church of All Saints with its famous yew tree growing from the top of the tower. The tree has been growing there for more than 200 years and, despite the fact that its only nourishment is the lime content of the mortar in which it is set, the trunk has now achieved a girth of 18 inches. It’s believed that the seed was probably carried up in the mortar used to repair the tower when its spire was demolished in 1776. The church’s more traditional kind of treasures include a magnificently embroidered cope of the late 1400s, now preserved in a glass case; a remarkable 14th-century tomb rediscovered during restoration in the 19th century; and a richly-coloured memorial window designed by Burne-Jones.

About three miles east of Culmstock is Hemyock Castle, built around 1380. Four turrets, a curtain wall, a moat with mallard and moorhen in residence, and a dungeon are all that remain of the Hidon family’s sturdy manor house, but it is a peaceful and evocative place. The castle stands behind the church in beautiful grounds and, since it lies close to the head of the lovely Culm valley, is very popular as a picnic spot. Opening times are limited.