Totnes Castle; One of the earliest and best preserved examples of a Norman Motte and Bailey in the country.
/Totnes is a beautiful example of an early, motte and bailey castle that, by the end of the 13th century, morphed into a shell keep castle. It was a vital part of the Norman policy of controlling the troublesome English people, especially people living in the South-West. Totnes was one of the earliest types of castle and was built at speed in 1068 being part of William the Conqueror’ plans to suppress rebellious Anglo-saxons. It is a good example of a shell keep and, with visits to other types of castles, will create a great timeline of the development of castles culminating in Caernarvon Castle, Beaumaris Castle and Tudor castles such as at Pendennis and Southsea. Standing on top of the shell keep, gives fantastic 360 degree views of the surrounding area and therefore reasons for its location. Walking around the bailey makes it easy to see the development of the dry moat and ditches as the first form of defence.
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St Teilo’s Church, now lovingly re-erected within the open-air precinct of St Fagan’s Museum of Welsh Life, is a remarkable testament to Wales’s medieval and 16th century heritage. Originally constructed in the early 16th century, this humble parish church was painstakingly dismantled, transported, and restored to its former glory — not least its dazzling wall paintings, which have been carefully recreated with scholarly precision. These vivid murals, brought back to life through meticulous craftsmanship, offer visitors a rare window into the devotional art and storytelling of the late medieval period. Stepping inside St Teilo’s, you’re transported back half a millennium, immersed in a world where faith, community, and artistic expression converged on plastered walls that still speak with vibrant colour and enduring power.