West Cottages

A cluster of stone cottages frozen in time on the outskirts of Exeter, West Cottages tells the story of rural Devon life as it actually was. These aren't prettified museum pieces - they're genuine workers' homes from centuries past, their thick walls and low doorways a reminder that people were simply smaller back then.

You're looking at everyday architecture that most visitors to Devon completely walk past. The cottages sit quietly off the beaten track, their character intact without the twee renovation that's killed so many English heritage sites. If you're into social history rather than stately homes, this is proper territory - the real bones of how ordinary folk lived and worked.

It's worth an hour if you're in Exeter anyway, though phone ahead first to check access and opening times. The site isn't heavily signposted or commercialised, which is either brilliant or frustrating depending on your mood. Families with young kids might find it a bit sparse for entertainment, but anyone interested in vernacular architecture or local history will find it genuinely absorbing. Walkers will appreciate it as a stop-off rather than a destination in itself.

Pair it with Dartmoor National Park, just three miles out - that's where you'll spend the real day. The contrast between these stone cottages and the open moorland beyond tells you everything about how Devon's communities used to function. Visit when it's not raining, because these old places feel properly grim in wet weather.