The craft centre at the 18th century Bickleigh Mill sells a wide range of gifts including toys, arts & crafts and jewellery. There's a children's store upstairs in the old Corn Loft and a bistro with great food and drink, set in the Old Mill House.
Bickleigh, Devon
The quaint Devon town of Bickleigh is located in the picturesque Exe Valley about 4 miles south of the town of Tiverton and 10 miles north of the city of Exeter on the main road joing the two locations. The town has beautiful thatched cottages, a picturesque pub on the River Exe, a craft centre and a winery at Yearlstone Vineyard.
In 904, during the reign of King Edward the Elder, charters were issued in Bickleigh referring to the village as 'Bicanleag'. Bickleigh appears in William the Conqueror's 11th century Domesday Book as Bichelei, which means 'Bicca's meadow'. Bickleigh Castle can trace it's history back to the 7th century. Parts of the original Norman curtain wall still exist as does the 12th century three-storey gatehouse and Norman chapel with Saxon Sanctuary, although the main building was destroyed in the English Civil War (1642–1651).
Bickleigh's St Mary’s Church can be trace its history back to Saxon times, however nothing remains of the original building, which is thought to have been first built around 700AD. The current church dates back to around 1268, the approximate date of its consecration.
Also of historical interest is the 5-arch Bickleigh Medieval Bridge which spans the River Exe between Bickleigh Mill and the popular Fisherman's Cot public house. The bridge is Grade II listed and is rumoured to have been the inspiration for the Simon & Garfunkel song Bridge Over Troubled Water.
Another popular Bickleigh visitor destination is the Devon Railway Centre, which is situated on the site of the old Bickleigh station. Lots to see and do here for the whole family including train rides, interactive train games, play areas and there's also a museum.
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Bickleigh Road Trip from Stonehenge
Another of our quirky little websites charts a road journey from the prehistoric monument of Stonehenge to the cathedral city of Exeter via the historic village of Bickleigh as a stop-off point.
