Holbeton is an exceptional, unspoilt small rural parish within the South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, with a coastline that forms part of the South Devon Heritage Coast.
Holbeton village is tucked away and boasts one of the nation’s great churches, All Saints. Grade 1 listed, and described by Pevsner as “unusually impressive”, it was restored in the 19th century by J D Sedding.
The village has a pub, The Mildmay Colours, a shop and post office, and a primary school.
Holbeton village, Ford and Mothecombe hamlets are all designated conservation areas.
The well used village hall supports an active amateur dramatics programme, a long standing twinning with Bodilis in northern Brittany, a lunch and social club, a film club and a garden society annual show.
Amenities within the parish include a play park, a community orchard and allotments, as well as a sports field and a croquet club at Battisborough Cross.
Mothecombe is a popular beach from which it is an easy walk round to the wooded Erme estuary, a site of Special Scientific Interest and a Marine Conservation Zone.
Much of the land belongs to the Flete estate, with a number of estate farms and holiday cottages. Mothecombe House, a grade 1 listed house situated above the beach, is a Queen Anne house with additions by Sir Edwin Lutyens. Its beautiful gardens are at times open to the public.
To the north is Flete House, a large ancient grade 1 listed country house remodelled by Richard Norman Shaw, at one time a maternity unit, and now a luxury retirement village.
Nearby, Flete Park hosts point to point races.
Other large houses in the parish include Battisborough House and Alston Hall.
