Discover Dalwood: Culture, History and Walking Trails

Dalwood brings together historic buildings, places of remembrance and routes through the Blackdown Hills countryside. When planning a stay, you can choose from a range of interests: explore church and Baptist history, visit a First World War memorial, or make time for a walk and a garden visit. These places represent different periods and interests, so you can treat each theme as a distinct element of your travel plans.

Churches and religious history

The Church of St Peter is a Grade I listed building. It dates entirely from the 15th century and was restored in 1881. These dates mark two distinct stages in its architectural history: the construction of the building and a later restoration. The church provides a clear point of reference for understanding Dalwood’s architectural history.

The Loughwood Meeting House represents a different chapter in religious history. This thatched Baptist meeting house dates from the 17th century, is built into a hillside and remains almost unchanged. It is one of the country’s earliest surviving Baptist churches. Its thatched roof, hillside setting and state of preservation give the meeting house a different character from the Church of St Peter. Together, the two buildings represent different forms of religious architecture: a Grade I church with origins in the 15th century and a 17th-century Baptist meeting house.

A First World War memorial

The Dalwood War Memorial was erected around 1920 in memory of the First World War. It is a roughly 1.8-metre-high, roughly hewn granite cross with a Celtic cross head. The plinth bears the inscription “TO OUR DALWOOD HEROES 1914-1919”; beneath it are sixteen names. The approximate date and inscription help place the memorial in time and explain its connection to the First World War. Its dedication adds a 20th-century place of remembrance to the older religious buildings.

Walking trails in the Blackdown Hills National Landscape

Dalwood lies in the Blackdown Hills National Landscape. Local walking trails start and finish at The Tuckers Arms Public House. The “Dalwood and Yarty Valley” circular route passes through Dalwood and takes in various sections of the River Yarty. Another longer walk leads to Shute Barton and Loughwood Meeting House and takes just under three hours. The routes have different points of interest: the circular route focuses on Dalwood and the River Yarty, while the longer walk names two specific destinations and gives a time estimate. This can help you choose an outing that suits the time you have available.

Gardens and more recent local history

Burrow Farm Gardens adds a botanical focus to the architectural and memorial sites. The garden covers 13 acres and features unusual trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants. Visitors can stroll through a wildflower meadow while enjoying views of Devon’s gentle rolling hills. Here, plants and landscape take centre stage, while the churches and memorial offer historical points of reference.

Dalwood Vineyard also offers a point of reference in the area’s more recent history. The first vines were planted in 2009; the first acre was dedicated to the Seyval Blanc grape variety. This planting is markedly more recent than the origins of the Church of St Peter in the 15th century and the Loughwood Meeting House in the 17th century. Together, these themes range from religious heritage and remembrance to the more recent development of viticulture.

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For the main travel overview: Devon.