Totnes

Castle views, Tudor houses and Sir Francis Drake’s oranges: we explore the quirky South Devon town of Totnes

- Samantha Branch

Nestled between moorland and sea in South Devon, Totnes is a captivating market town with a colourful personality. Dating back to 907 AD when Alfred the Great’s son Edward built a small settlement here, the town is dotted with historic sites and impressive architecture.

Following the Norman Conquest, William the Conqueror bestowed Totnes on a favoured Breton called Judhael, who built a motteand-bailey castle across the town walls, and a priory, which he eventually gave to the Church. Make the climb to the top of the castle’s keep for sweeping views of the entire town and across to the River Dart.

The town’s prime location on the river, which rises in Dartmoor and runs to the sea at Dartmouth, made it rich in Tudor times: Totnes played a crucial role in the lucrative trade of cloth and tin. The river now provides a scenic backdrop for short walks and riverside eating, kayaking and canoeing. The beautiful stone bridge that spans the river was built in 1828, designed by Devon architect Charles Fowler.