The hill on which Winkleigh stands is a high point between Dartmoor and Exmoor. Winkleigh means: Wink – corner; and Leigh – clearing or high place.
Winkleigh was formed sometime in the Saxon occupation of Devon. During the Norman Conquest the village was known as Wichelia and belonged to a Saxon called Brictric of the Golden Hair. It had a 500-acre wood and the only wildlife park in Devon.

William the Conqueror gave Wichelia / Winkleigh to his wife Matilda. During the twelfth century Winkleigh was split up into two unequal portions – the larger portion to the Keynes family and the smaller to the Tracey family. The families constructed fortified manors at each end of the village – known as Court Castle and Croft Castle. The houses have not survived but in between developed a medieval borough.

Parking in Winkleigh Village Square.

[ Walk Directions – start at the Village Pump in the Square pass the King’s Arms; look up to the left towards the Seven Stars and turn right at Bank House to reach the church ]

• The Square – The buildings “in the heart of the village” are nearly all traditional stone / cob / render, but some are brick and granite. At one time most were shops.

• Village Pump – The pump was built to commemorate the men who were mainly responsible for the Great Reform Bill in 1832 during the reign of William 1V. The pump “has never been known to run dry” and was restored in 1994.

• King’s Arms – The public house is a prominent island feature of the square. It is over 200 years old and is cob built with a thatched roof. The Butcher’s shop opposite, escaped a major fire in the 1870s and is therefore older than the adjoining buildings.

• Seven Stars – This pub once also included a grocer’s shop.

• Bank House – This house was once the bank of the village and was established by a local farmer. Lloyds Bank bought it from him in the early 1940s.

• All Saints’ Church – The church is mainly of the 14th and 15th centuries, with major restoration in 1870 and 1975. The 14th century tower is in three stages with battlements, part buttresses, pinnacles and an octagonal lantern. Seventy carved angels support the wagon roofs and the many interesting bosses including one thought to represent Catherine of Aragon. The gargoyles show that the medieval carvers had a sense of humour!

[ Proceed around the church and down Church Steps; pass Queen Street; down Church Hill into Exeter Road. ]

• The Alms House – Originally four cottages. During WW2 the end two cottages were made into a mortuary and a NAAFI. Just before WW1, Mrs John Ware lived in one of these cottages with her five children. She emigrated to Canada but today, a member of the same family lives nearby. Andrew Ware lives with his wife Sue in Queen Street.

[ Turn right, proceed along Exeter Road; pass Coopers Hill; turn right up Vine Street and then up into South Street. ]

• Coopers Hill – This street was once a hive of economic activity with a piggery, a cooper (a maker of barrels and casks) and a watchmaker.

• Wesleyan Chapel – This chapel was built in 1864. In the 1980s it was converted into two private houses.

• Pound House – This house was once the site where animals were housed overnight before market. On the left, opposite Pound House was another old forge and the village prison.

• Vine Street – The street contains a number of 17th and 18th century cottages. On the left, the cottages originally formed one old Devon Long House. The Old Malt House and adjoining cottage were originally built as three cottages and were part of a brewery and coach inn.

• Site of Ring O’ Bells – Next to the church gates there was once a pub that became nationally known in 1956 when The Daily Sketch offered it as a prize. The Ring O’ Bells burnt down in 1968. It originated from the 14th century and was built to house the workers who built the church.

• Linden House – This is a late 18th century building with an impressive original portico and delicate fanlight entrance. Its garden sited on the opposite side of the road used to be the village bowling green.

• Myrtle Cottage – This cottage used to be the bicycle shop.

[ Left into The Square, down Castle Street, briefly back into Exeter Road, up to the corner of Torrington Road. Up Torrington Road through Sunny View, then right again into Barnstaple Street and back to the Square. ]

• Keswick House – This house was formerly called “Kings”, a reminder of its former Royal connections.

• Methodist Chapel – This was built in 1883 and was one of four places to worship in Winkleigh.

• The Community Centre – This was the village school until the early 1970s.

• Village Hall – The entrance has grand gates from Eggesford House. The village hall was built in the late 1930s on the site of Croft Castle. Two rich families wanted to build halls for the village. One was built on the mound and the other was Castle School, which was converted into a village hall. This building dates from 1840 and was at one time given to the village for “gentlemen” to use as recreation and reading rooms.

• Clotworthy House – Until 1840 this was a coaching inn called the Clotworthy Arms. It was the changeover point for the Exeter to Bideford mail and also had a butcher’s shop.

• Vicarage – the Vicarage on the right hand side dates from the 1970s.

• Sunny View – This estate was the site of the Hospital during WW2.

• Saunders Mews – This development was built on the site of the old Fire Station and garage. Back to the Square and the end of the Winkleigh Village Heritage Walk