The remains of the largest castle in Devon, in an outstandingly picturesque setting on a wooded spur above the rushing River Okement. Begun soon after the Norman Conquest as a motte and bailey castle with a stone keep, it was converted into a sumptuous residence in the 14th century by Hugh Courtenay, Earl of Devon, much of whose work survives. After the last Courtenay owner fell foul of Henry VIII in 1538, it declined into an allegedly haunted ruin. Riverside picnic area and woodland walks nearby.

The castle was probably built after 1068, and is mentioned in the Domesday Book (1086) as the centre of the estates of Baldwin de Brionne, Sheriff of Devon

The castle started out as a motte, which gained a stone keep in the late 11th century. A second building was added to the keep in the early 14th century, along with a range of new buildings further down the ridge. The castle was abandoned in 1539 after its owner, Henry, Marquis of Exeter, was found guilty of conspiracy and executed by Henry VIII.