Fodor's Expert Review Castle Drogo

Northeast of Chagford, this castle looks like a stout medieval fortress, complete with battlements, but construction actually took place between 1911 and 1931. Designed by noted architect Sir Edwin Lutyens for Julius Drewe, a wealthy grocer, and built entirely with local granite, the castle combines medieval grandeur with early-20th-century comforts and includes a collection of Flemish and French tapestries—most notably one made for Louis XIV. There are fantastic views over Dartmoor's Teign Valley, and the grounds are well worth a prolonged wander, with paths leading down to the river at Fingle Bridge. Turn off the A30 Exeter–Okehampton road at Whiddon Down to reach the castle.