Historic Devon Hotels: Shelleys, Castle Inn, Rising Sun

Shelley�s
Watersmeet Road, Lynmouth, EX35 6EP

A Ship Is Floating In The Harbour Now...

Known then as �Woodbine Cottage�, it was here that the great romantic poet, Percy Bysshe Shelley, spent his honeymoon with Harriet Westbrook during the summer of 1812 - although quite what the bride made of her new husband�s entourage which accompanied them is unclear!

The twenty-year-old Shelley wrote of Lynmouth: "...the beauty of it made us residents here for the summer months.. It combines all the beauties of our late residence with the addition of a fine bold sea. We have taken the only Cottage there was, which is most beautifully situated, commanding a fine view of the sea with mountains at the side and behind us."

Later, on July 5th, he penned a letter to his friend William Godwin which described his lodgings: �We now reside in a small Cottage, but the poverty & humbleness of the apartments is compensated by their number..."

The Castle Inn
Lydford, nr Okehampton, EX20 4BH

Elementary, My Dear Watson

Dating back to 1550, the Castle Inn is situated alongside a considerably older structure: the notorious Lydford Castle, a notorious medieval prison from which the inn is said to derive the restaurant�s 12th century fireplace.

This, however, might paint the wrong picture of this pretty little inn which lies on the western slopes of Dartmoor National Park. It�s most notable historic claim-to-fame, though, is somewhat more recent � it is said that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle stayed here and that the building features in his most famous Sherlock Holmes novel, The Hound of the Baskervilles�.

The Rising Sun
Harbourside, Lynmouth, EX35 6EG

And through the dewy meadow's breast...

This celebrated thatched inn, formerly the haunt of smugglers, is perhaps most well-known for its connection to the novelist R D Blackmore. It was in one of the rooms that he is said to have written several chapters of the classic Lorna Doone.

Avoid the new... The following may not necessarily be linked to famous figures or events, but all offer accommodation in historic surroundings. Click on the links for further tariff and availability information.

Arundell Arms, The. LIFTON. Recognised as one of the country�s premiere fishing hotels, the Arundell Arms is a former coaching inn on the Devon-Cornwall border. Expedia.co.uk

Brown�s of Tavistock. TAVISTOCK. Today a fashionable four-star town house hotel, Brown�s was once a coaching inn founded in the 17th century. Expedia.co.uk | LateRooms

Buckland Tout-Saints. KINGSBRIDGE. Elegant William & Mary manor house featuring eight bedrooms and 2 suites. Expedia.co.uk | LateRooms

Churston Court. Nr BRIXHAM. A superb grade-I listed manor house said to date from the 12th century. It is reputed that Sir Walter Raleigh was a frequent guest. LateRooms

Combe House Hotel. HONITON. A truly beautiful grade-I listed house whose structure is largely Elizabethan. Expedia.co.uk

Hoops Inn, The. Nr CLOVELLY. Offering fourteen guest rooms, the origins of the thatched Hoops Inn are said to date as far back as the 1200�s. LateRooms

Kitley House Hotel. Nr PLYMOUTH. Centuries-old country house offering 19 guest rooms, several featuring four-poster beds. Expedia.co.uk

Lewtrenchard Manor. Nr OKEHAMPTON. A former owner, the Reverend Sabine Baring Gould, was responsible for the hymn Onward Christian Soldiers. Today this beautiful Jacobean manor offers 14 unique guest rooms (including 4 suites). Expedia.co.uk

Northcote Manor. BURRINGTON. An award-winning 18th century country house hotel. Expedia.co.uk | LateRooms

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