Dartmoor

[la_marquise]

We are finally on Dartmoor, at the Rock Inn, Haytor, indeed. The marquis has tracked down five castles to their lairs and says:
Berkeley, Gloucs 'rather entertaining; strange connectivity, multi-layered squiggle, nice remains of a shell keep.
Thornbury, Gloucs 'Very nice -- scrambly bits and bits you can stay in all in one castle.' (He also liked the wine list and the food -- anef take note).
Taunton -- 'Much played with and being messed about with more even as we speak [type, typist]' Our views on the town: 'T*unton: a bit cr*p, really'
Tiverton 'closed, bah humbug'. Looks to have a good square tower.
Bickleigh 'not really a castle at all'.

THe non-castle experience was the National Arboretum at Westonbirt. I have now seen a 2000 year old lime coppice, which looks like a copse and it all one tree. And many beautiful maples. And birches and beeches and lots and lots of extremely happy dogs.

I have not yet looked at the book. I don't want to confront rewrites at once. Tomorrow, she said, firmly.

Comments

Tiverton castle

[narkil.livejournal.com]

The sign said the castle was open on Sundays and Thursdays. Theres the remains of some curtain wall and a couple of towers behind the house.

There's a clump of castles around 30 miles SW of Exeter -
Berry Pomeroy (EH) is a ruin, late fortified front but interior entirely and repeatedly remodeled as a house.
Compton (NT) is a nice fortified manor, the interior is all modern, but it's got some nice machicolations

Totnes is a classic shell keep (but shuts at 3.30 not 4 as it says on their publicity mutter, mutter).

Dartmouth (EH) is about 15 miles further on, it's a nice henrician coastal fort with attached 19th century battery

While Okehampton (EH) (25 miles west of exeter)looks quite good it is shut from october to may.

Re: Tiverton castle

[woolymonkey.livejournal.com]

Thanks! That looks really useful. Adding to memories for future Exeter trips.