South Zeal, Devon

South Zeal is situated on the northern boundary of Dartmoor National Park, in the lee of Cosdon Hill, one mile south of South Tawton and within the South Tawton Parish. South Zeal is a beautiful moorland village, which lies astride a road that was formerly the main Okehampton to Exeter Road. The village has a shop, one other public house, primary school, village hall and large recreational ground, together with a village car park. The village is only a few minutes’ drive from the A30 dual carriageway with access at nearby Whiddon Down which links Exeter over the top of Dartmoor to Cornwall. The former market town of Okehampton is some 5 miles distant and offers an excellent range of amenities and a railway with connections to Exeter. Dartmoor National Park, which is easily accessible from South Zeal by footpaths, offers hundreds of square miles of unspoilt scenery, with many opportunities for riding, walking and cycling. Both the north and south coasts of Devon are accessible from this central location and access to the rest of the country can be found at the M5 junction at Exeter.  



The Oxenham Arms Hotel and Restaurant is a beautiful 12th century, monastery manor house situated in beautiful gardens, with a private owner's bungalow to the rear. The property is steeped in history; The Oxenham Arms is home to the South Zeal menhir - a standing stone reputed to be older than Stonehenge and the great pyramid. The stone was carved from Dartmoor granite by Neolithic people over 5,000 years ago and is a tourist attraction in itself.   In the late 1100's Benedictine Monks built the monastery around the standing stone, which forms part of the restaurant and rear section of the Oxenham Arms today. In the 1300's and 1400's The Burgoyne's and The Earls of Oxenham constructed the beautiful Manor House, which forms the front section of the Oxenham Arms.   Born here in the 1500's was the famous sea captain and pirate, Captain John Oxenham who served with Sir Francis Drake as first navigator for the English fleet.  In the 1800's Charles Dickens stayed here and wrote the Pickwick Papers.  Today The Oxenham Arms retains all of its original charm and character, whilst boasting an AA Rosette awarded restaurant and lovely olde world rooms, oozing history.  The 7 luxury letting rooms on the first floor are all individually decorated with their own charm, many of which have oak four poster beds.   The Inn is reputed to be the oldest of its type in Devon and Cornwall and is Grade II Star Listed.  There are extensive trade gardens and land to the rear, arranged as 2 paddocks and a separate field, all of which overlook the beautiful Cosdon Hill on Dartmoor's northern boundary.