Broadclyst: Killerton, Clyston Mill and Heritage

Explore Broadclyst through a variety of themes: Killerton’s fashion collection, Clyston Mill, historic buildings, and walking and cycling routes. The places and activities offer different points of focus, so you can tailor the balance of heritage, activity and nature to your travel interests.

Killerton: Fashion History and Orienteering

Killerton House is home to the National Trust’s largest fashion collection. It includes more than 20,000 historic items of clothing and accessories. This makes fashion history a distinctive feature of the estate. The items on display in an exhibition may change.

Killerton also has orienteering courses suitable for all ages and ability levels. If you plan to take part, check the availability of the courses and maps before setting out. This will help you plan your route using the orienteering options currently available.

Clyston Mill: Watermill and Technology

Clyston Mill is a historic watermill on the River Clyst, on the Killerton estate in Broadclyst. It is considered an early 19th-century building and one of the last surviving watermills in southwest England. A specific detail of its history is the undershot waterwheel, installed in 1880. It is currently unable to turn. Its history and milling technology give the site a distinctive focus on industrial heritage.

The mill’s orchard offers visitors a place to picnic. Check the conditions on site before your visit. This lets you combine the stop with a look at the historic mill without assuming a picnic will be possible regardless of conditions.

Historic Buildings in Broadclyst

Broadclyst House is a Grade II listed house dating from around 1830. The parish church of St John the Baptist in Broad Clyst dates mostly from the late 15th century and preserves significant architectural features from the 14th century. These dates give an impression of how different building periods are represented in the history of the village.

The monument at Broad Clyst includes the remains of a medieval undercroft and part of the medieval manor settlement of the Nonant family. The family held the manor from about 1100 to 1340. These remains add an earlier period of local history, distinct in date from the later buildings.

Walks and Cycling Routes

The Broadclyst Adventurer Walk is an easy, 45-minute circular route. It starts and ends at the bus stop by the Red Lion Inn in Broadclyst. The stated duration provides a practical guide for anyone planning a walk around a particular schedule.

A six-mile circular route through the Devon countryside is described between Killerton and Clyston Mill, and can be completed on foot or by bicycle. A cycling route from Killerton to the village of Broadclyst is also listed as a six-mile circular route; it passes through farmland and the Devon countryside. The Adventurer Walk is described by its duration, while the Killerton routes are described by distance. You can weigh time and route length differently when planning your day.

Nature and Landscape

The Killerton estate includes habitats that are home to four owl species, 13 bat species and 28 butterfly species. This diversity makes wildlife watching another activity to enjoy on site, although individual sightings are not guaranteed. Clyst Meadows in Broadclyst is a dog-friendly country park and offers a distinct connection with nature within the village.

Getting to Clyston Mill

Clyston Mill can be reached by bus from Exeter via Broadclyst. From the village church, follow the signs to the mill. As bus services may change, check the current timetable before travelling. This allows you to plan your journey by bus as well as choose between a walk, a cycling route and the heritage sites.

Discover more destinations: Upton Pyne, Berrynarbor, Harberton, Newton Saint Petrock, Honiton, Uffculme, Woodleigh, Cheriton Bishop.

For the wider travel overview: Devon.