Okehampton Castle
The largest Norman castle ruin in Devon, its surviving walls rising on a wooded hill. It was once the residence and hunting park of the Earls of Devon.
Okehampton Castle was begun between 1068 and 1086, during the Norman Conquest, and later expanded by the Courtenay family, Earls of Devon, into a luxurious residence and hunting estate. It was abandoned after 1538. It is now managed by English Heritage. The surviving tower, hall, kitchen and residential-quarter walls stand on a hill beside the West Okement River, surrounded by trees, and an audio guide is included. Entry is about £8, and the castle is closed in winter. It is located in Okehampton, a small town on the northern edge of the moor. From here you can also climb High Willhays, the highest point on Dartmoor at about 621 metres (check the opening times of the military firing range).
Opening hours
April–October 10:00 am–5:00 pm (check the English Heritage website)
Nearby sights
- Lydford Gorge
- Wistman's Wood
- Postbridge Clapper Bridge
- Bellever Forest & Tor
- Merrivale Prehistoric Settlement
- Princetown & Dartmoor Prison Museum
- Church of St Michael de Rupe, Brentor
- Castle Drogo