Halwell

Halwell sits at the junction of the A381 and A3122, the roads that link Totnes, Kingsbridge and Dartmouth. From the village it is 5 miles south to Totnes, 6 miles north to Kingsbridge and 8 miles west to Dartmouth, so a stay here suits a trip that moves between all three rather than settling on one.

The village has an old defensive role behind its quiet crossroads setting: it was one of four burhs, or fortified settlements, that King Alfred the Great established in Devon against Viking raids. By the close of the 11th century that status had passed to Totnes, and Halwell settled into the farming village it remains today.

St Leonard’s Church stands at the centre of the village, with a bell tower that is the building’s most noted feature. The parish is part of the Three Rivers Mission Community, a group of seven churches sharing clergy across this part of the South Hams.

Because Halwell sits inland on high ground rather than on the coast, it makes a base for touring the South Hams’ market towns and villages by car rather than for a beach holiday. Bring your own transport: the crossroads location that makes it convenient for driving means services are limited in the village itself.