Braunton, Devon
Braunton is a busy village set in the folds of the beautiful North Devon AONB, just 5 miles from Barnstaple and 8 miles from Ilfracombe. It’s said to be one of the oldest villages in Devon and the largest in England, so it’s one of those places where you think, well, is it a town or a village? Officially, it’s a village and quite a bustling one at that, with several pubs and cafes, surf shops, a small museum, a very old ruined chapel and a fine Norman church that is notable for its impressive Jacobean woodwork and the 16th century carvings on the bench ends. If church architecture is your thing that’s got to be worth a look at.
What Braunton is mostly known for is having a medieval field system established in the days when peasants rented land by the strip from the Lord of the Manor, and for Braunton Burrows, a UNESCO designated Biosphere reserve that flanks the 3.5 mile long beach at Saunton Sands and includes the landmark peninsula at Crow Point. Go there for a peaceful stroll and then head back to the village for a bite to eat.
All information correct at the time of writing