Hayes Barton, the childhood home of Sir Walter Raleigh

One of England’s greatest seafarers and pirates was raised at Hayes Barton in East Budleigh. We’re talking of none other than that larger than life Elizabethan buccaneer character, Sir Walter Raleigh.

Red Indian Chief pew at Sir Walter Raleigh’s old church of All Saint’s, East Budleigh

Unfortunately, Hayes Barton isn’t open to the general public (although I visited about 15 years ago on a paid tour). You can drive (or walk) along the lane and get a view Hayes Barton, which alone is well worth the effort. It’s also worthwhile visiting All Saints church in East Budleigh, which Raleigh attended as a boy. In fact, there’s the Raleigh family pew within the church, as well as a carved pew end featuring a Red Indian, no doubt a reference to Raleigh’s adventures in the Americas.

The Elizabethan era provide an opportunity to make major gains, if you were a land worker, the hard perennial drudgery could be escaped by risking all and taking to the seas. You may have suffered harshly, but conversely the riches available for plunder could have set you up for life.

Click on the image below to see at a larger size:

Hayes Barton

East Budleigh pre Roman to the 16th century