Honiton

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Map sources for Honiton at grid reference ST1600

Honiton is a town in East Devon, which is in the county of Devon, England. It grew along the line of the Roman Road of the Fosse Way - the ancient Roman Road linking Exeter (Isca Dumnoniorum) to Lincoln (Lindum). The location is mentioned in the Domesday Book as Honetone, meaning a farmstead of a man called Huna. Honiton is situated close to the River Otter, 17 miles North east of Exeter. It became an important market town known for its lace and its Honiton pottery. Population about 11,200 at the time of the 2001 Census.

Honiton more than doubled in size between the 1960s and 2005 with most development happening south of the Exeter to Waterloo Station (London) railway line. The size of Honiton in 2005 was approximately 3.2 km².

Further development will be limited as Honiton borders the East Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) to the south and the Blackdown Hills AONB to the north and east. AONBs have the same level of protection as National Parks of England and Wales which restricts new developments.

Honiton is popular with antique hunters, boasting over 20 antique shops.

It is also historically renowned for lace making, but no longer upholds this tradition. There are still indications of its history, such as "Lace Walk" and the "Honiton Lace Shop". However, the shop now trades by appointment only and via the internet. The shop has been converted to a restaurant, originally named "Merletto" - which is Italian for "lace". The restaurant has since changed ownership and name.

Honiton High Street

Honiton has a variety of amenities including two schools and a college, a sports centre with swimming pool and shops such as Homebase, Argos and Tescos. The town's name is pronounced in two ways, each pronunciation having its adherents: /hʌnɪtɘn/ or /hɒnɪtɘn/.