Gidleigh Castle

Gidleigh Castle is a Grade I listed building, the only remaining part of a castle built around 1300 by the Prouze family. The structure is made of granite stone rubble laid in rough courses, featuring open putlog holes and large, roughly-shaped quoins, with ashlar details made of hard sandy magnesium limestone. The castle has a square plan that includes an undercroft and a first-floor hall, situated on a slope facing east-south-east. The entrance is located on the left (south) side, with stairs integrated into the thickness of the wall around the south-west corner. There is a second stone newel stair that projects forward from the left end of the front. A disused fireplace, which once served the hall, is located in the center of the front wall. The hall is currently roofless, and the newel stair turret has partially collapsed.

The exterior features a two-window front to the right of the stair turret, with narrow slit windows that have deep internal splays and relieving arches above. The right first-floor window retains some of its ashlar window frame. A square buttress projects from the center of the wall. The left side has a segmental pointed (almost triangular-headed) arch doorway, while the right side has a plain doorway at first-floor level towards the back.

Inside, the undercroft boasts a vaulted roof supported by square ribs. The doorways from both stairs to the hall have chamfered surrounds with bar-broach stops. The fireplace has been significantly rebuilt, and the floor displays the bases of columns that likely supported a corbelled hood. The construction and details of Gidleigh Castle are notably similar to those of the contemporary phase of Okehampton Castle. The site is also designated as a Scheduled Ancient Monument.