Cockington is a small medieval village about a mile away from The 25 Boutique B&B.
Made up of a group of traditional thatched cottages, a pub, cricket pitch and so on, it has changed little in several hundred years and really feels like going back in time with its quintessential chocolate box cover scenes. The old forge is one of the most photographed cottages in England.
Within Cockington Country Park, which is 450 acres in total, you’ll also find a quaint church, woodland, rose garden, ornamental lakes, Cockington Court which houses the local registry office, a café and shop, along with a craft centre dotted around the many outbuildings. Why not get married at Cockington Court and then spend your minimoon with us?
The craft centre has too many outlets to mention but some highlights are the blacksmith (who made some of our hanging rails in the bedrooms), a glass blower, and an upholsterer.
You’ll also find Cockington Chocolates who hand make the chocolates which we sell and you can add to your room when you book (or via our Make it Special) page. If you fancy making chocolate truffles for yourselves we have a very special exclusive offer just for our guests. (details here).
The cricket ground was originally a medieval deer park, but cricket has been played here since 1947. The church has been estimated to have been standing since 1069 and you can usually pop inside for a look round. There’s even a water mill wheel which has recently been refurbished and is now working again.
You can drive and park in the village, but we can provide you with directions for our circular walk into Cockington, bringing you back via a pretty path through woodland and down to the seafront. There’s a new visitor centre in the village who can offer lots of advice too.
If you’re looking for a longer walk, Manscombe Woods are accessed via the ornamental lakes near the Game keepers’ cottage just off the main gate to the park.
If you prefer a rest there are a good choice of places to stop off for an ice cream or traditional Devon cream tea (don’t forget it’s cream first, then jam on top!), or you could take a horse and carriage ride which takes you down to the sea and back from outside Cockington Court.
Cockington Court was the manor house built for the squires of the village in Saxon times. The Cary family owned the court from 1375 – 1654 when they moved to Torre Abbey (just 5 min walk from The 25 - another not to miss tourist attraction) and remained there until the 1930s.
The Mallock family took it over from the Cary’s. They were silversmiths from Exeter and owned it until 1932 when it was sold along with the whole estate to the Cockington Trust – a development company. They then leased part of it to the Torquay Corporation who eventually bought much of it off them.
During the Second World War, the Prudential Assurance Company evacuated its staff to Torquay and decided to buy the village from the Trust. They owned it for several decades, but It is now managed, along with the rest of the park by Torbay Coast and Countryside Trust and Prudential have sold all their interests in it.
If you’re ready for lunch, one option is the Drum Inn – one of our recommended places to eat. They have a cosy open fire if you fancy falling asleep with a drink in hand. It’s a relative newcomer in the village – infact the newest building, having only been built in 1935 on the site of the old ale-house. If it’s a nice day, you can sit outside overlooking the old apple orchard.
2018 will mark 25 years since Cockington Apple Day began which showcases the best in local foods, drinks and handmade crafts. There is entertainment, live music, a bar and plenty to keep you busy, as well as special events at the many regular craft and food shops. It’s held in October each year.
Several events take place throughout the year with up to date details available at www.cockingtoncourt.org
I hope this has given you some food for thought and even if you can only spend a couple of hours in Cockington, it really must be on your list of things to do whilst you are staying with us.