Built on the site of what was once thought to have been Colcombe Castle, this was originally a manor house; one of the seats of the Courtenays, Earls of Devon. Built by Hugh de Courtenay in the late 13th century, it began life as a moated and fortified homestead. By 1539 there was little left but ruins, and was partly rebuilt by Henry Courtenay, Marquis of Exeter.
Rebuilt again in the early 17th century it was later altered and added to. The metal frame casements replaced the former stone mullion windows and the door has a modern gabled porch, but there are still remains which have been incorporated into the buildings; now a farmstead.
The first top photo shows the rebuilt farmhouse, and the other two above are of the building opposite. The wonderful plank and studded door to the farmhouse can be seen below.
A view of the main building from the other side, below. Taken into the sun, the photo is a bit fogged, but it does show the lovely sweep of the roof as it continues down over the annexe. Interestingly, I've seen this style of building locally before, albeit on a much smaller scale; a building belonging to the mill complex, also in Colyton, and the blacksmith's in Branscombe. The annexes - or lower parts - of those buildings were storerooms, especially for wood in the case of the smithy.
Another outbuilding, below, with a pantiled roof.
And another old door seen in the courtyard wall, together with a millstone, below. I haven't been able to ascertain which parts were the original 13th century and which bits were part of the 17th century rebuild but I think, and please don't quote me on this as it's just my own theory, that the farmhouse was the original and the other outbuildings and courtyard wall were the additions during the later rebuild. Fabulous ridge tiles on the top of the wall.
Part of an old cider apple orchard, below. Apple trees aren't long-living enough for these to have been the original ones, but doubtless there was an orchard here back in the day to supply the household with their own cider. Larger houses such as this also supplied cider to their workers and other households.
And finally, below, a public house in the centre of Colyton named after Colcombe Castle, with the sign displaying its name.
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