Hostel

A sixteenth-century hostel in South Brent that's survived centuries of Devon winters and the odd dodgy renovation. The building itself is the main event here - timber-framed, wonky as they come, with the kind of crooked doorways that make you duck even if you're not tall. You're looking at proper Tudor architecture, the real deal, not some Disney version.

It's the sort of place history types will appreciate far more than anyone else. The structure tells you how people actually lived back then - cramped, draughty, and probably smelling of woodsmoke and livestock. Kids might find it interesting for about twenty minutes before asking if there's a gift shop. There isn't.

South Brent itself is a decent stopping point if you're exploring Dartmoor National Park or heading towards Ashbourne Woods, both within spitting distance. The hostel works as a quick detour rather than a destination in itself - pop in, have a look round, grab a coffee in the village, move on. It's free to admire from the outside at least, and that's often enough unless you're really into domestic Tudor history.

Best visited on a dry day when the building looks less like it might crumble on you. Spring or autumn beat summer because you'll avoid the school holidays crush that can make Devon villages feel like theme parks. Allow half an hour maximum unless you're the sort who reads every interpretive panel.