PLACES OF INTEREST IN ENGLAND

COCKINGTON, DEVON

Text by Michael Norfolk
Photographs by Michael Norfolk

Above: The School House, Cockington, Devon.

During April 2007, having deposited the final copies for the May issues of the Digest at the printers, we decided to take a break for a few days staying in Goodrington, midway between Paignton and Brixham, on the south Devon coast.

Like many similar resorts, the Devon coastline is highly commercialised but having previously seen images of the tiny 'chocolate box' village of Cockington, we decided to take a short detour and drive through the village en route to Teignmouth. We ended up staying for several hours.

It is hard to believe that such a village exists, nestling in the heart of urban Torbay. The thatched cottages of Cockington remain untainted by the modern developments surrounding them.

The grounds of Cockington Court, which was the manor house for the Squires of Cockington from Saxon times right up to 1932, are delightful and offer several walks taking in the nearby woods and lakes.  The Court also houses a tea room and a craft centre where you can view artists, glassmakers, potters, and a number of other craftsmen at work.

There is a public car park in the centre of the village, which at a standard charge of £3.00 seems somewhat excessive until you realise the amount of interest contained within the village and the surrounding lands. We expected staying just long enough to take a quick look round but found far more than we initially  anticipated.

We sat on a bench by the side of one of the lakes in the unusually warm April sunshine while a Mallard took care of her brood of four youngsters right at our feet almost oblivious to our presence. Birds swooped down over the lake and fish rippled the waters surface while squirrels played merrily all around us. 

At the end of our tour, despite having a packed picnic and flask of coffee in the car, the temptation to sit outside the village tea room drinking coffee topped with fresh Devon cream, and a scone spread with cream and jam whilst listening to the resident pianist playing away outdoors was too much to resist.

The photographs above show a selection of images taken in the village and the grounds of Cockington Court.