Stockland Great Castle

The earthworks at Stockland might not look like much at first - just a lumpy field with banks and ditches running across it - but this is one of Devon's best-preserved motte-and-bailey castles, and standing on the mound genuinely gives you a sense of medieval power. Built sometime after the Norman conquest, it once had wooden fortifications crowning that raised earth, and from up there the locals would have had proper sight lines across the valley toward Honiton.

It's free to wander around, and the walk takes perhaps twenty minutes if you're taking photos and actually thinking about the layers of history. No visitor centre, no cafe, no fancy interpretation - just you, the earthwork, and the Devon countryside. That's either brilliant or disappointing depending on your mood. History enthusiasts and walkers will get more from it than families with young kids, though if you're camping at nearby Hartridge Springs Spa Glamping, it's worth a leg-stretch en route to somewhere else rather than a standalone destination.

The best time is late spring through early autumn when the site is dry underfoot and you're not trudging through mud. Bring a decent map or phone signal because signage is minimal. It fits nicely as part of a wider castle-spotting loop around East Devon - Exeter and Rougemont aren't far away if you want something with more bells and whistles. But if you like your history raw and unpackaged, this does the job.