Castle Drogo

Castle Drogo is the last castle built in England, a granite fortress raised above the Teign Gorge on the eastern edge of Dartmoor by Sir Edwin Lutyens for Julius Drewe, who believed his family descended from the Norman lord of Drewsteignton. Work ran from 1911 to 1930, and the flat roofs leaked from the start, so the Trust spent most of the 2010s rebuilding them. Inside, bare granite walls and vaulted corridors frame a 1920s idea of medieval living, with the Drewes' possessions. Outside are Lutyens's formal terraces, the circular croquet lawn and paths into the gorge, including Hunter's Path and Fisherman's Path to Fingle Bridge, all open to dogs on leads. Reviewers praise the immaculate gardens, the guides and the cafe's cream teas. Tips from regulars: the approach lanes are narrow and the car park is limited, so arrive early; the machines are coin only, so set up the JustPark app before you lose signal; and a buggy shuttles up to the castle.