Marsh, Devon

Long Lye (grid reference ST265122) is an 11.7 hectare (29.0 acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest at Buckland St Mary in the Blackdown Hills, Somerset, notified in 1988. This site along with the adjoining Long Lye Meadow were considered to be under threat from a scheme to widen the A303.Long Lye is a traditionally managed neutral grassland of a type which was once characteristic of lowland Britain but has now become increasingly rare due to agricultural intensification. Mature broadleaved woodland and wet flush communities add considerable diversity to this site. Fifteen species of butterfly have been recorded here. They include the silver-washed fritillary (Argynnis paphia), of which the valenzia form has been found, purple hairstreak (Quercusia quercus) and marbled white (Melanargia galathea).

Horse Pool Camp is a univallate Iron Age hill fort enclosure in the South Somerset district of Somerset, England. It is also known as Whitestaunton Camp.The hill fort is situated approximately 1 mile (1.6 km) west from the village of Whitestaunton, just off the Devon border. The hill fort is an oval univallate that is 300 metres (980 ft) long and 150 metres (490 ft) wide.

Long Lye Meadow (grid reference ST267119) is a 3.3 hectare biological Site of Special Scientific Interest at Buckland St Mary in the Blackdown Hills, Somerset, notified in 2002. This site along with the adjoining Long Lye were considered to be under threat from a scheme to widen the A303.The neutral grassland component varies in character and herb richness. There is a strong population of green-winged orchid (Orchis morio), together with a few plants of common twayblade (Neottia ovata). In a few areas meadow thistle (Cirsium dissectum) occurs.

Bishopswood Meadows is a nature reserve situated within the Blackdown Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in the county of Somerset, England. The reserve comprises five fields totalling 9.3 hectares (23 acres); all of the fields are on a gentle north-facing slope with the River Yarty at the base. The reserve, formerly part of Woodend Farm, was purchased by Somerset Wildlife Trust in 1991–92.

Yarcombe is a village and civil parish in the county of Devon, England, situated in the East Devon administrative district on the A30 road near the towns of Honiton and Chard. It is sited in the steep rolling meadows and ancient woods of the Yarty Valley on the south edge of the Blackdown Hills, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The population according to the 2011 census was 500.The small village centre has a Norman church, dedicated to St John the Baptist, an old inn with monastical roots, a hotel, a bed and breakfast and a cluster of houses, but there are also many outlying farms and hamlets which make Yarcombe a large parish. Yarcombe is a working village, and farming and agricultural support services are important sources of employment. There are other small businesses in the community, such as accommodation and catering, building and joinery, motor services, furniture making, and rural crafts. The village has a village hall and an active community life, including traditions such as pig and terrier racing, barrel rolling and metal ball throwing. The East Devon Sheepdog Trials have been held in Yarcombe for several years, in July. Earl (later King) Harold briefly owned the manor in the village, prior to his demise at the Battle of Hastings. In Elizabethan times ownership of the manor passed to Francis Drake. Today one of his descendants remains squire of Yarcombe. In the Hundred Years War money was sent from Yarcombe by its French owner to the armies of France, to help them fight the English. Yarcombe village is located close to the Devon/Somerset border and not far from West Dorset. The nearest small towns are Chard (6 miles) and Honiton (8 miles). Nearby are the coastal resorts of Lyme Regis, Seaton, Sidmouth, Budleigh Salterton and Exmouth. Larger towns further afield include Taunton (12 miles to the north), Exeter and Yeovil (around 25 miles west and east respectively). Yarcombe won the Devon Village of the Year competition in 2005 and then at the West of England finals finished top of the Business of the Year category for the region.

Buckland St Mary is a village and parish in Somerset, England, situated 6 miles (9.7 km) to the west of Ilminster and 8 miles (12.9 km) south of Taunton in the South Somerset district, close to the A303. The village has a population of 521. The parish is within the Blackdown Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and includes the hamlet of Birchwood.

Robin Hood's Butts are a group of nine Bronze Age barrows near Otterford on the Blackdown Hills in Somerset, England. They have been scheduled as ancient monuments.

The Anglican Church of St Mary in Buckland St Mary, Somerset, England was built in 1853-1863. It is a Grade II* listed building.

Whitestaunton Manor in the village of Whitestaunton, Somerset, England was built in the 15th century as a Hall house and has been designated as a Grade I listed building. It consists of an east–west range with two wings which were added later.The first record of the house dates from 1479 with dendrochronology showing roof timbers dating from 1447 to 1492. It has been altered and expanded several times since, including a major expansion in the 1570s. The stables and coach house were built in the 16th century and are now Grade II listed.Excavations carried out in 1882, when the house was owned by Charles Elton, had identified a building, thought to be a Roman villa, which had been incorporated into the grounds, and designated as a Scheduled monument. In 2003, archaeological television programme Time Team carried out an excavation in the grounds, which discovered a Roman bath house.During restoration work, between 2000 and 2011, a Hammerbeam roof was discovered above a Georgian ceiling. The roof dated from 1446 to 1478. It had been damaged by Death watch beetle. The work received an award for the work from the Wood Awards in 2008. Wooden panelling had also been damaged by Death watch and Common furniture beetle. It was removed and restored.

Whitestaunton is a village and civil parish in the South Somerset district of Somerset, England. The parish includes the hamlet of Northay. It was known simply as Staunton until the 14th century.

The Church of St Andrew in Whitestaunton, Somerset, England, dates from the 13th century and has been designated as a Grade I listed building.The Perpendicular church is built of Hamstone. It contains a nave and porch which were added in the late 14th century and in the late 15th century it was refenestrated and the north and south chapels added. In the early 16th century the tower and chancel arch were rebuilt, the south chapel widened and the west door added. Further restoration followed in 1882-3 and 1913.The interior includes a Norman font.In 2012 an appeal was launched to repair the bellframe in the tower.

Freshmoor (grid reference ST280125) is an 11.2 hectare (27.7 acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Somerset, notified in 1989. Freshmoor is one of the few remaining areas of unimproved wet acid-grassland and mire on the Blackdown Hills.