Hennock: Walking and Village History in Dartmoor National Park

Hennock lies on the south side of the Teign Valley at about 600 feet above sea level and within Dartmoor National Park. The village stretches for about a kilometre along the contour, with views across the valley below from almost every house. Its elevation and settlement pattern shape the destination’s landscape character.

Walks and Trails

The Blue Bell Walk starts in the centre of Hennock near the Village Hall and follows Bell Lane and Beadon Lane to Beadon Bottom. The self-guided walk through Shaptor Woods, by contrast, starts at Five Lanes: it follows Little John's Walk and an access path into the woods, then returns to Five Lanes using the waymarkers. The difference is practical when choosing a route: the Blue Bell Walk ends at Beadon Bottom, while the Shaptor Woods walk returns to its starting point. Easy Lane is an old sunken lane with a diverse range of plants. From the Five Lanes junction, Beacon Lane leads to a beacon site above Hennock, about 815 feet above sea level.

Church and Village History

The Church of St Mary is a 15th-century parish church, restored in 1875. Its features include a late Norman limestone font, a Perpendicular-period rood screen and surviving medieval stained glass. A rood screen is a structural partition between the chancel and the nave; the term Perpendicular refers to a late phase of English Gothic architecture.

Hennock Village Hall is a Grade II listed building. It was probably originally built as a barn in the 13th century and used by the White Canons of Torre Abbey to store tithes. After the First World War, local soldiers returning home acquired the building and converted it into a village hall. The hall’s history thus connects a probable medieval use with the return of local soldiers after the war.

Great Rock Mine adds the area’s industrial history to its architectural heritage. It was the last working mine in the Hennock area and produced micaceous haematite, used as an ingredient in anti-rust paint. The raw material and its use add another specifically identified facet to the village’s history.

Reservoirs nearby

The scenic Kennick Reservoir and Tottiford Reservoir are nearby. Tottiford Reservoir and Trenchford Reservoir are connected by off-road paths, footbridges and a network of walking trails. The two reservoirs can be walked around together on public paths. There are car parks, picnic areas and plenty of woodland paths for both reservoirs.

Discover more destinations: Devonport, Exminster, Alston, Dartmouth, Okehampton, Yarcombe, Clovelly, Burlescombe

For the wider travel guide: Devon.