Devon

The fourth largest county in England and, with a population of nearly 1.2m, the 11^th most populated, Devon is famous the world over.  For history buffs, its draws includes Exeter Cathedral, completed in 1400, and Exeter guildhall, Britain’s oldest civic building still in use today, dating back to 1160.  For sightseers, it’s home to four UNESCO sites, including two World Heritage ones – the Dorset & East Devon Coast, known as the ‘Jurassic Coast’ for its geology and geographical features, and the Cornwall & West Devon Mining Landscape.  Meanwhile sports enthusiasts love that it has two separate coastlines, offering up miles of sandy beaches for surfing and other water sports.  And then there are the many people it has inspired.  Crime writer Agatha Christie and poet Ted Hughes both lived in Devon, singer Joss Stone was brought up there and, perhaps most famously, it was the location for John Cleese’s famous hotel in the TV series Fawlty Towers.

Barchester homes in Devon: