Totnes Castle
Continuing our trip to Devon, we drove straight from Berry Pomeroy to Totnes after seeing it advertised on a chalkboard. We had never planned on Totnes and were actually debating the drive to Dartmouth Castle, but as Totnes was close by we decided to take the leap!
Interestingly, there are no ghostly sightings at this castle! So far our first site visit without a haunting. That is of course not to say that there isn't any ghosts here, just none that have been reported that we can see! As for ourselves, did we see anything? In all honesty everyone except from Yogi were knackered from the stairs and as a small scale circular fort there wasn't really anywhere for any spirits to hide or be seen. The keep wall is intact and surrounds you once you enter. It's high and as you are already on a large hill overlooking Devon, climbing the internal steps to the top is even higher. Jamie did this and looked out on the view from above, Lauren and Yogi stayed safely on the lush grass within the keep sunbathing until he came back down.
Totnes Castle is one of the best preserved Norman Motte and Bailey Castles in the UK. A Motte and Bailey castle is a European fortification built with a wooden or stone keep upon a raised area of ground known as a Motte. The Motte would be accompanied by a courtyard or Bailey and be surrounded by a ditch. In this case it is a hill overlooking Devon.
A varied history due to multiple owners, the ruins which we see today are not of the original castle. Many adjustments such as new fortifications, having fallen into ruin, then subsequent repairs have happened during the years before the castle fell into ruin for the last time following the War of the Roses. Fascinatingly, Totnes was used during the English Civil War, but it never saw any notable action unlike Corfe.
We had to park a little way away and walk through the busy town centre of Totnes in order to get to the castle. This was fine aside from the narrow pathways and bustling holiday makers who force anyone with a dog or buggy onto the road so they can continue to walk 2 abreast. Once we had located the way up to the castle we checked in to the tiny little giftshop which was little more than a tea-shack (it was so cute!). The lady running it was very informative, lovely to Yogi, and offered us some Strawberry wine to try. Lauren got her keyring and we went on our way.
We did a quick lap of the grounds, adorable, and then scaled the many steps up to the keep before taking in the internal view surrounded by the curtain walls. Jamie went inside and to the stop and walked the perimeter while Lauren continued to soak up a tan with Yogi Bear on safe ground. It was a romantic and lovely little walk and Totnes, while unexpected, was exactly the adventure we needed that afternoon.
Would we go back? Oh in a heartbeat! Next time we'd bring a picnic and basque in the sunshine surrounded by the historic walls.
DISCLAIMER: Now for the official bit. This blog does not receive any paid promotions from the places mentioned above. We have not been approached to promote or act as spokespersons for any attraction mentioned within this post and this is simply a post intended to act as a day in the life of a couple on a cute date. All photos included are taken by ourselves and as such the rights for these images our ours, no links, brands, or companies mentioned otherwise belong or are associated with Phantom Adventures UK. We are responsible only for this blog. Opinions are our own and not influenced by any third party source..
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