The Oxenham Arms Inn & Hotel

The Oxenham Arms sits in the village of South Zeal, about twenty minutes south of Exeter, and it's the sort of pub that makes you wonder how it's survived this long - which is precisely why it's worth seeking out. This is a genuine 15th-century inn, all low beamed ceilings, uneven floors, and the kind of creeping sense that you're drinking in someone's front room from about 500 years ago. The building itself is the main draw: massively thick walls, original stone fireplaces, and windows small enough that you feel quite properly medieval when you're sitting inside.

You can stay here if you want, but most people pop in for a pint and a look around. The bar area is genuinely atmospheric without trying too hard - no modern fussing about, just old wood and history doing the work. It's the sort of place where walkers naturally congregate, so if you're doing the moorland trails around Dartmoor or heading through South Devon, this makes a logical stopping point.

Family groups with older children will find it atmospheric rather than boring, though toddlers won't get much from standing around a bar. The food is proper pub fare - nothing fancy, nothing pretentious. Allow an hour if you're just stopping by, longer if you're eating.

If you're basing yourself at Woodland Springs or Barley Meadow nearby, this is worth the short drive. It's not a day-trip attraction in itself, but as part of a wider ramble through Devon countryside, it's genuinely worthwhile. Real ale, real age, real character.