Visiting Clovelly
Clovelly is a beautiful, picturesque fishing village, steeped in maritime atmosphere and history. It was once owned by the Queen of England!
Book TicketsBook a stay in Clovelly
The Red Lion Hotel is an 18th Century 4-star Inn that stands on the quay alongside Clovelly’s ancient harbour in North Devon. Each of its 17 beautifully decorated rooms boast a sea view.
To wake up to the sights and sounds of Clovelly’s ancient fishing harbour and the sounds of the sea at the Red Lion Hotel is a unique and unforgettable experience.
The Red Lion
Clovelly Court Gardens
Clovelly Court Gardens are a must see whilst visiting the famous village. Plants thrive in this sheltered sunny corner of North Devon, which has the added benefit of the warmth the Gulf Stream brings.
You’ll find neat, carefully tended gardens and beautifully restored Victorian greenhouses within its old walls. The incredible variety of fruits & vegetables grown here supply the Red Lion Hotel. You can even take some home with you!
Clovelly Court Gardens
Clovelly activities & shops
Check out our shops, galleries and museums. Try your hand at our arts & crafts workshops, charter a boat for a fishing trip or take a stroll along the beautiful cliffs, beaches and through the village. The choice is yours in Clovelly!
Things To Do
History of Clovelly
Originally the estate was owned by William the Conqueror, King of England, gifted to his wife and then had many royal associations until 1242 when first acquired by the Giffard family. Until the middle of the 19th century Clovelly was unknown to the outside world. It was partly as a result of Charles Kingsley’s ‘Westward Ho!’, set in and around the village, that visitors began to come.
History of Clovelly
Bay Tree Café
Where your Clovelly adventure begins
The Bay Tree Café at the award-winning Visitor Centre is where your Clovelly adventure begins. It is modelled on a traditional Devon long barn. The interior is light and spacious with its cinema and shopping areas. The must-see film shows of the history of the village. There are lots of shops to wander around, and freshly-made Clovelly fudge.
The Café is very popular. You can enjoy a freshly made cappuccino and home-baked goods whilst sitting out on the terrace. Savour the fresh sea air and amazing views of the North Devon coast and Bideford Bay. Looking further out right across the Bristol channel changes the views completely. On a good day you can even see the south coast of Wales! It is the ideal location for a snack, lunch or a Devon cream tea.
HMS Victory
This ship on show in the café is an exact copy of the flagship, ‘HMS Victory’, that could be seen patrolling these waters during the 16th and 17th century.
Stefan Krapf of Bavaria, Germany, spent eight years building this model ship. It contains hundreds of miniature sailors and cast iron canons. He donated the ship to Clovelly following its display at Portsmouth. It shows a real passion for detail and a love of local history that just emulates from it.
Picarooner
Looking across, suspended from the Visitor Centre ceiling below, is a replica fishing boat unique to Clovelly. The ‘Picarooner’ (once a Spanish insult meaning ‘a sea robber’), with its shallow draft, rounded bilges and high transom, could get out to sea faster and return earlier on the tide. It therefore had a speed advantage on the bigger boats in their pursuit of Clovelly’s tasty herrings, the ‘Silver Darlings’.
There is also a suspended, sporty, classically styled, fully decked single scull, designed for rowing on open water. Named ‘Clovelly Scull’, its design and creation is from the Rous Family.
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