Fire Beacon Hill was the site of one of the beacons set up to warn Elizabethan London of the approaching Spanish Armada
It was part of open heathland that once stretched from Honiton to Sidmouth. The rest of the land was taken for conifer plantations. The site is now seen by environmental organisations as a potential seed bank and species reservoir for future heathland restoration and re-creation projects.
An apple tree can be found on the southern side. Fruit trees were used as landmarks as far back as Saxon times.
Fire Beacon Hill was described in the Journals of the Reverend John Swete, who travelled through it on horseback in 1795. He describes for example a hedgerow of beech, which is now a remnant in the form of a few trees.
In June 1993 a balloon crashed into a power line above the site. The resulting intense fire sterilised the soil.
East Devon way and footpath running through the site
The site is open to the public and is used for recreation and education. Being on top of a hill near the Jurassic coast (one of the World Heritage Sites), the fine views give the site a high aesthetic appeal.
The East Devon Way footpath runs from north to south across the site.