Hembury Fort, Payhembury, Honiton, Devon
When historic sites and designated Scheduled Monuments like Hembury Fort near Honiton are preserved, they soon start to serve another purpose, other than to tell us something of how people lived thousands of years ago; they become beautiful places where you can go and enjoy the peace and quiet and the flora and fauna. That balance of history and nature, it works so well.
Hembury Fort was subject to a huge excavation in the 1930's and again in the 1980's; these works revealed that the hill was used as a military base in Roman times, as an Iron Age fort, and as a Neolithic settlement. Astounding but not surprising when you consider the commanding vantage point and the steep natural slopes on three sides. There were some interesting finds unearthed during the digs and if that's your kind of thing you should pop along to the RAM Museum in Exeter to see them.
If you fancy exploring whilst you're staying at Stonehayes Farm, we'd recommend Hembury Fort. Go and have an amble around the huge ramparts, follow the tracks and trails through bluebell woods, see the knarly old trees covered with moss, listen to the birdsong, and the silence.
All information correct at the time of writing