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Local History

Devon is situated in the south West of England and its beautiful unspoilt area contains many narrow lanes with high hedges. Devon’s heartland houses wonderful gardens and intimate cottage gardens. Trails allow visitors to discover and explore the towns and churches of the area. There are local specialist shops selling local products including cheese, jams, honeys, wine and cider. Markets are also available to explore within the towns.

Travelling to Devon is accessible by all forms of transport. By car the M4 motorway connects London with Wales and the West Country linking the M5 from Birmingham. The Midlands and the North of England and Scotland go as far as Exeter reaching the A38 connecting to Plymouth and Cornwall. The A30 links the rest of the way to Cornwall. The M5 from Tiveton is linked to the North Devon Link Road connecting all the way to Banstaple and Bideford in North Devon.

By train, Great Western Trains offer fast Intercity Express’s from London Paddington and Birmingham New Street stations to Plymouth. Trains also operate from London Waterloo to Exeter Central.

Exeter Airport provides connecting services to London Gatwick and other major Airports.

West Devon towns include Tavistock, Okehampton and Hatherleigh. The largest town is Tavistock steeped in history and a busy market town. In 974 a Benedictine abbey was founded on the banks of the river Tavy and it became the largest and wealthiest abbey in South West England at the time before the closure by Henry VIII. In the centre of the town ruins of the abbey can be seen near Bedford Square. A bronze statue of Sir Francis Drake, the town’s famous citizen is located at the end of Plymouth Road.

Okehampton is located at the northern border of Dartmoor and is the centre for a large farming area. The town lies between the High Wilhays and Yes Tor, two of the highest peaks in the South of England. Okenhampton house the oldest castle in Devon, built by the Normans.

Hatherleigh is located just north of Okehampton and is a small market town housing 16th and 19th century architecture. A pottery, an inn that brews its own beer and a gallery displaying local arts and crafts are included in the town.

South Devon coastline includes traditional seaside resorts an inland picturesque villages. The resorts include Sidmouth, Torbay, Dartmouth and Plymouth. Sidmouth was once a busy fishing port in the Middle Ages and in 1819 the future Queen Victoria visited the holiday resort with her parents. The town still hold a grand style with many gracious Regency buildings.

Torbay includes three towns Torquay, Paignton and Brixham known as the English Riveriera. Agatha Christie was born in Torquay and Torre Abbey was a monastery now coverted into a country house in a park, away from the beach. The house contains glassware, furniture and Agatha Christie mementos.

Dartmouth’s natural harbour has sheltered trading vessels since the Norman times, fishing boats for many more centuries. Timber-framed houses built in 17th century stand in the centre known as the Butterwalk. The 15th century Dartmouth Castle is located a short distance outside the town.

Plymouth expanded in the 15th century with the development of larger ships. Most of Plymouth has been rebuilt after the damage caused by World War II.

The coastline of North Devon is famous for its beautiful landscape, wildlife value and its popularity with tourists. Marine wildlife has been a traditional focus for the area mainly during the 19th century. Marine centres have been set up in various places such as the Ilfracombe Museum offering information for visitors on local marine wildlife.