Clovelly: Visit a Picturesque Seaside Village in England

Since shortly after the Norman conquest of England in 1066, the charming fishing village of Clovelly has been privately owned. Once the property of William the Conqueror, Clovelly alternated between royal and private ownership until the village was inherited by the Hamlyn family in the late 1800s. Descendants of the Hamlyn family still run Clovelly today. For a small fee, visitors can enter Clovelly and explore one of England‘s most picturesque seaside villages.

Narrow cobbled streets lined with cottages on a steep hill at Clovelly on the Devon coast
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Visiting Clovelly Village is like stepping back in time. The quaint village—which rests on a 400-foot cliff and features cobblestone streets lined with vibrant flowerpots—does not have any motorized traffic. Residents of Clovelly construct homemade wooden sledges to haul produce, household items, and trash along a steep road that is known as Up-Along or Down-Along, depending on which way you’re schlepping your sledge.

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For centuries, donkeys served as beasts of burden in Clovelly’s streets. Thanks to the popularity of wooden sledges, Clovelly’s donkeys now enjoy a comfortable retirement in a stable that overlooks the village. Visitors can enjoy some quality time with Clovelly’s playful donkeys. For a small fee, you can even adopt a donkey. Donkey adoption includes a photo of your donkey, biannual donkey updates, a stack of donkey-themed postcards, and a link to a live feed where you can check up on your donkey.

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Clovelly Village is home to two hotels—The New Inn and The Red Lion. The New Inn features cozy rooms with sweeping views of the sea. The Red Lion celebrates Clovelly’s heritage as a fishing village. The Red Lion is home to The Harbor Restaurant which serves fresh seafood, including locally sourced lobster. Visitors can also eat a vegetarian or vegan meal prepared with fresh vegetables that were grown at Clovelly Court Gardens.

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Clovelly Court Gardens is a well-manicured garden that is home to several Victorian greenhouses where visitors can admire and pick delectable fruits and vegetables. There is even a path known as the Woodland Walk where visitors can stroll beneath the shade of towering trees as they walk from Clovelly Village to Clovelly Court Gardens.

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