BRAUNTON
- DEVON
Map
ref SX483
Braunton on Devon's north coast is thought to be
the biggest village in England. Braunton has an old ruined chapel, overlooking
the narrow streets of the original village.
The Welsh missionary, St. Brannoc founded a chapel at
Braunton in the 6th century. The chapel's location was revealed to him
in a dream, a place where he found a sow with a litter of piglets. This
theme is reflected in the present church at Braunton. Though the building
is mainly a 13th-century structure, there is a carving of a sow and
her farrow on one of the churches carved roof bosses. The church itself
is known for the 16th century carvings on the bench ends - some of the
finest to be seen in the country.
Braunton Burrows and  Saunton
Sands
To the east of Braunton is a large sand dune system famous
for its plant and animal life - one of the largest sand dune systems
in the United Kingdom.
 Behind
the Marram grass covered sand dune system is the famous archaeological
site of Braunton Great Field, an unusual relic of Medieval open-field
cultivation.
Braunto Burrows is an internationally important area of
sand dunesand has been declared Britain's first Unesco biosphere
reserve - due to the diversity and abundance of rare flora and continuous
human use over the centuries . The designation of 3,120 hectares of
Braunton Burrows means it will now rank alongside Mount Vesuvius in
Italy and the Danube Delta in eastern Europe, said the Department for
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
The dunes contain about 500 species of flowering plants
- it is one of only two UK sites for the water Germander, and has a
wide range of rare orchids.
Saunton Sands
Saunton Sands is at the northern edge of the sand
dune system. It is the start of a three mile (4.8km) crescent of fine
golden sands, that stretch southwards between the sea and the Braunton
Burrows towards Appledore and Bideford Bar.
At the northern end of Saunton Sands is a car park with
a small shop, café and toilets. The beach is a very popular surfing
centre. Bathing is safer at the northern end of the beach, with dangerous
currents at the southern end.
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