Culture and Heritage
The area covered by the AONB has scattered settlement and has been farmed for many centuries. Archaeological evidence is often masked by successive layers of settlement and landscape development and is therefore not immediately obvious, but it is there in abundance. However, there are areas of East Devon, particularly what is now marginal land on the coast and high plateaux, where very well preserved archaeological sites can be seen. These include the burial mounds on Farway Hill, the ‘celtic’ field system at Beer Head and hill forts such as Woodbury Castle and Blackbury Camp.
The landscape itself, the intricate pattern of settlements, farms, lanes, fields and woods, a vital part of our historic environment, has been created by thousands of years of human activity. The interplay of landscapes and people has created a rich and distinctive tapestry within which the communities of the AONB have evolved and is evidenced today in local settlements, historic buildings, quarries, caves, iron-age forts and a wide variety of local events and fairs.
