Explore Cockington

An English Riviera UNESCO Global Geopark Key Site.

Many villages lay claim to being picturesque, but the delightful Devon village of Cockington is the real deal. Take a walk back in time along Cockington’s narrow lanes, lined with thatched houses and you’ll experience a quiet charm that is quintessentially English. Everything about Cockington oozes with history – there’s a water mill, a forge and even the cricket pitch was once a medieval deer park.  It’s an unforgettable place to stay and perfect for romantic breaks and unforgettable dog-friendly family holidays.

The Historic Heart

At the heart of this lovely Devon village is Cockington Court, a 16th century manor house surrounded by hundreds of acres of gorgeous country park. Cockington Country Park has received the prestigious Keep Britain Tidy, Green Flag Award, an accolade which it has retained 24 times since its launch, one of only 5 sites in the whole of the UK to do so.  The Green Flag Award is given for high environmental standards, being beautifully maintained and having excellent visitor facilities. Enjoy an idyllic stroll around the beautiful Norman church, the arboretum, the recently restored lakes, Gamekeepers Cottage and the renovated water mill.  Stroll back through the park and cricket green; if you find walking a little taxing, take advantage of the all-terrain mobility tramper for hire in the Visitor Centre to explore the park at your leisure..  It’s heaven in Devon for dog owners with lots of places for your pooch to run and explore.  Don’t miss a traditional horse-drawn carriage ride!

BBC Devon have actually featured a walk around Cockington on their website, taking approximately two hours, but you ideally need a whole day to make the most of it. It really is like taking a step back in time - the roads, cars, and hectic 21st century lifestyle all seem a million miles away, so if you want to escape from today's fast-paced life then it is definitely worth adding to your itinerary when visiting South Devon.

The Agatha Christie Connection

Agatha Christie was a close personal friend of the Mallock family, former owners of Cockington Court, and a frequent visitor to the house. She often performed in plays with the family and her world-famous book Why Didn’t They Ask Evans? is dedicated to Christopher Mallock.

Arts and Crafts

Today, Devon’s Cockington Court is a hub for art and crafts and in the hugely popular contemporary craft centre you’ll find delightful working studios with all kinds of artists in creative mode. These include a chocolate maker, glassblower, blacksmith, jewellers, ceramicists, wood turner, leather crafter, textile artist, mosaicist, painter, flower designer, print maker and more.  You can browse, buy, meet and chat to the makers and even take courses such as becoming a chocolatier for a morning.  

Delicious Devon 

Cockington is rightly famous for its delicious Devon cream teas and temptation is never far with Cockington Court’s own tearooms, the Lutyens designed Drum Inn, Weaver’s Cottage Tea Shoppe and Rose Cottage Tea Gardens among the popular choices.  Of course you are not limited to tea; you can stay in the village for lunch and dinner or visit the nearby waterfront at Torquay for a huge selection of restaurants, cocktail bars and bistros plus a choice of theatres.

Events, Markets & Play Time

Cockington Court has a year-round programme of events including regular food & craft markets, open-air theatre, Cockington Fayre, Cockington Apple Day and the ever-popular Cockington Christmas Fayre as well as regular art exhibitions. The Ark Play Area is suitable for all children including those with disabilities and offers a wheelchair seesaw, a turning stone, sound boxes, a singing stone, a water feature with seesaw pump and fountain, as well as slides and ramps. Cockington’s well supported Green Heart Appeal has not only meant that the park has been wonderfully restored but there’s also a superb new Country Park Visitor Centre at the Linhay in the village centre.  

A Living, Breathing Time Capsule

Close to Torquay seafront but tucked away in a secret valley, Cockington is noted in the Domesday book, and time seems to have stood still since.  Cockington is a living time capsule in the heart of the English Riviera, South Devon’s beautiful Bay.  It is a truly unique and popular place to stay with choice of hotels, inns, bed and breakfasts, self-catering apartments and Devon cottages.   

Getting There

Cockington is accessible by car, bus and train with the new South Devon highway making driving here a breeze. There are three car parks and the number 12 bus runs every 10 minutes throughout the day.  The train station at Torquay is a 20-minute walk through the watermeadows and boardwalk.  Of course taxis are readily available and it’s just a few minutes into the centre of Torquay.