Devon

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For other uses, see Devon (disambiguation).
“Devonshire” redirects here. For other uses, see Devonshire (disambiguation).
Devon
Dewnans
St Petroc's flag of Devon
Motto: Auxilio divino (Latin: By divine aid)
Image:EnglandDevon.png
Geography
Status Ceremonial & (smaller) Non-metropolitan county
Region South West England
Area
- Total
- Admin. council
- Admin. area		 Ranked 4th
6,707 km²
Ranked 3rd
6,564 km ²
Admin HQ Exeter
ISO 3166-2 GB-DEV
ONS code 18
NUTS 3 UKK43
Demographics
Population
- Total (2005 est.)
- Density
- Admin. council
- Admin. pop.		 Ranked 11th
1,109,900
165 / km²
Ranked 12th
731,000
Ethnicity 98.7% White
Politics
Devon County Council Logo
Devon County Council
http://www.devon.gov.uk/
Executive  
Members of Parliament
Districts
Image:Devon_Ceremonial_Numbered.png
  1. Exeter
  2. East Devon
  3. Mid Devon
  4. North Devon
  5. Torridge
  6. West Devon
  7. South Hams
  8. Teignbridge
  9. Plymouth (Unitary)
  10. Torbay (Unitary)

Devon is a large county in South West England, bordered by Cornwall to the west, Dorset and Somerset to the east. It is unique among English counties, in that it has two separated coastlines. Both parts of the Devon coastline are part of the South West Coast Path.

Although Devon is now the formal and generally accepted name, for many centuries the county had been called "Devon" or "Devonshire", according to personal taste, and the latter remains in common usage. The name Devonshire still features in some names and titles, such as the Duke of Devonshire — although this title is not actually linked to Devon, the family estates being based in Derbyshire. (The Earl of Devon was more closely linked with Devon.) It is still to be seen on occasional signposts in the county and elsewhere.

The Dorset and East Devon Coast, otherwise known as the Jurassic Coast, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Geologically, Devon, along with its neighbour Cornwall is known as the "Cornubian massif".

As part of a 2002 marketing campaign, the plant conservation charity Plantlife chose the Primrose as the county flower. [1]

Contents

[edit] History

Main article: History of Devon.

Devon was one of the first areas of England settled following the end of the last ice age. Dartmoor is thought to have been settled by Mesolithic hunter-gatherer peoples from about 6000 BC. The name 'Devon' derives from the name of the Celtic people who inhabited the south western peninsula of Britain at the time of the Roman invasion c. 50AD , known as the Dumnonii, thought to mean 'Deep Valley Dwellers'. The Romans held the area under military occupation for approximately 25 years. Later the area became a frontier between Brythonic Dumnonia and Anglo-Saxon Wessex, and some historians claim that this resulted in the effective conquest of Devon by Wessex by 715 and its formal annexation around 805. However, this is a matter of controversy as in 722 AD the Britons of Devon and Cornwall, together with their Viking allies slaughtered the Wessex Saxons at "Hehil". Later William of Malmesbury claimed "that the Britons and Saxons inhabited Exeter aequo jure ('as equals') in 927....

By the ninth century, the major threat to Saxon control of Devon came not from the native British but from Viking raiders, and sporadic incursions continued until the Norman Conquest although in 722 AD the Britons of both Cornwall and Devon allied with Danish Vikings to destroy an Anglo Saxon army at "Hehil", giving both Devon and Cornwall 100 years of peace from Saxon attacks.. A few Norse place names remain as a result, for example Lundy Island, though the Vikings' most lasting legacy is probably the move of the cathedral from Crediton to Exeter.

Devon has also featured in most of the civil conflicts in England since the Norman Conquest, including the Wars of the Roses, Perkin Warbeck's rising in 1497, the Prayer Book Rebellion of 1549, and the English Civil War. Perhaps most notably, the arrival of William of Orange to launch the Glorious Revolution of 1688, took place at Brixham.

Devon has produced tin, copper and other metals from ancient times. Devon's tin miners enjoyed a substantial degree of independence through Devon's stannary parliament, which dates back to the twelfth century. The last recorded sitting was in 1748.

Devon is also known for its mariners, such as Sir Francis Chichester, Sir Francis Drake, Sir Humphrey Gilbert, Sir Richard Grenville and Sir Walter Raleigh. The poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge and the crime writer Agatha Christie were born in Devon. The county was also the childhood home of psychology pioneer Raymond Cattell, and more recently the home of comedian Bill Bailey.

[edit] Economy

This is a chart of trend of regional gross value added of Devon at current basic prices published (pp.240-253) by Office for National Statistics with figures in millions of pounds.[2]

Year Regional Gross Value Added Agriculture Industry Services<
1995 6,163 391 1,746 4,027
2000 7,497 286 1,813 5,398
2003 8,670 325 1,853 6,492

Like neighbouring Cornwall to the west, Devon is disadvantaged economically compared to other parts of southern England, due to the decline of traditional industries such as fishing, mining and farming. Consequently, most of Devon has qualified for the European Community Objective 2 status. The 2001 Foot and Mouth (Hoof and Mouth) disease outbreak harmed the farming community severely.

The attractive lifestyle of the area is drawing in new industries which are not heavily dependent upon geographical location; Dartmoor, for instance, has recently seen a significant rise in the percentage of its inhabitants involved in the financial services sector. In 2003, the Met Office, the UK's national and international weather service, moved to Exeter.

Devon is one of the rural counties, with the advantages and problems characteristic of these. Despite this, the county's economy is also heavily influenced by its two main urban centres, Plymouth and Exeter.

[edit] Geology, landscape and ecology

Main article: Devonian.

The Dartmoor National Park lies wholly in Devon, and the Exmoor National Park lies in both Devon and Somerset. In addition, Devon is the only county in England to have two completely separate coastlines. Both the north and south coasts offer dramatic views: much of both coastlines is named as Heritage Coast, and the South West Coast Path runs along the entire length of both. Inland, the county has attractive rolling rural scenery, and villages with thatched cob cottages. All these features make Devon a popular holiday destination. The variety of habitats means that there is a wide range of wildlife (see Dartmoor wildlife). A popular challenge among birders is to find over 100 species in the county in a day. The county's wildlife is protected by the Devon Wildlife Trust, a charity which looks after 40 nature reserves.

The landscape of the south coast consists of rolling hills dotted with small towns, such as Dartmouth, Salcombe, Totnes amongst others. The towns of Torquay and Paignton are the principal seaside resorts on the south coast. The north of the county is very rural with few major towns except Barnstaple, Great Torrington, Bideford and Ilfracombe. East Devon has the first seaside resort to be developed in the county, Exmouth and the more upmarket Georgian town of Sidmouth, headquarters of the East Devon District Council. Exmouth's popularity as a seaside resort faded as it was one of the last towns to get a rail link. Until 1861 visitors had to take a coach from Exeter or a ferry from Starcross. Exmouth marks the western end of the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site.

Devon has also given its name to a geological era: the Devonian era (the era before the carboniferous stage), so-called because the distinctive red-sandstone of Exmoor was studied by geologists here. Devonian sandstone/slate is also found in neighbouring Cornwall (such as Tintagel, where the castle is made from Devonian slate), and across the Bristol Channel in Wales (the Gower peninsula/Pembrokeshire/Brecon Beacons has the same lumpy sandstone cliffs and hog-backed hills as Exmoor). This is because around 7000 years ago the Bristol Channel did not exist, instead there was a large bay stretching between Pembrokeshire and Devon. Where the Bristol Channel is now was mainly a flat plain, although the Cambrian mountain system of Wales continued over to (what is now) Exmoor and Dartmoor. The peaty sandstone of north Devon is of poor quality (for farming), hence the bareness of the landscape. Devon's other major rock system is the carboniferous sandstone which stretches from Bideford to just outside Bude in Cornwall, which is generally better quality than the Devonian sandstone, and also contributes to a gentler, greener, more rounded landscape.

Interestingly, Devonian rocks are found in Devon, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Cornwall and Brittany - but they are not found in South-East or North-West England. In this sense, Devon has a strong geological affinity with the Celtic nations.

Devon's Exmoor seaboard has the highest coastline in southern Britain, culminating in the massive Great Hangman, a 1043 ft "hog-backed" hill with an 820 ft cliff-face, located near Combe Martin Bay. Its sister cliff is the 716 ft Little Hangman, which marks the edge of Exmoor.

Significantly, the coast of Devon, along with Wales and Cornwall, has more miles of Heritage Coast than any other region. Around 65% of Devon's impressive coastline is Heritage Coast. Just as one county, Devon has more Heritage Coast than the entire length of both South-East and North-West England.

Both Devon's North and Southern coasts are impressive, in particular Hartland Point, which is the where the Bristol Channel meets the Celtic Sea/Atlantic Ocean.

Rising temperatures resulting from global warming have lead to Devon becoming the first place in Britain to cultivate olives.

[edit] Politics and administration

The administrative centre of Devon is the city of Exeter. The city of Plymouth, the largest city in Devon, and the conurbation of Torbay (including the towns of Torquay, Paignton and Brixham) are now unitary authorities separate from Devon for the purposes of local government.

Nearly half of the holdings of the Duchy of Cornwall are in Devon.

[edit] Cities, towns and villages

Heathland at Woodbury Common in southeast Devon
Heathland at Woodbury Common in southeast Devon
The inner harbour, Brixham, south Devon, at low tide
The inner harbour, Brixham, south Devon, at low tide
Part of the seafront of Torquay, south Devon, at high tide
Part of the seafront of Torquay, south Devon, at high tide
The Great Red cliff of Foreland point
The Great Red cliff of Foreland point
The beach at Westward Ho!, north Devon, looking north towards the Taw and Torridge estuaries
The beach at Westward Ho!, north Devon, looking north towards the Taw and Torridge estuaries

This is a list of the main towns and cities in Devon. For a complete list of settlements, see list of places in Devon.

See also: List of civil parishes in Devon

[edit] Places of interest

[edit] Rivers

See also: Category:Rivers in Devon

[edit] Coat of arms

The coat of arms of Devon County Council
The coat of arms of Devon County Council

There was no established coat of arms for the county until 1926: the arms of the City of Exeter were often used to represent Devon, for instance in the badge of Devonshire Regiment. When a county council was formed by the Local Government Act 1888 it was required to adopt a common seal. The seal contained three shields depicting the arms of Exeter along with those of the first chairman and vice-chairman of the council (Lord Clinton and the Earl of Morley).[3]

The county council received a grant of arms from the College of Arms on October 11, 1926. The main part of the shield displays a red crowned lion on a silver field, the arms of Richard Plantagenet, Earl of Cornwall. The chief or upper portion of the shield depicts an ancient ship on wavers, for Devon's seafaring traditions. The Latin motto adopted was Auxilio Divino (by Divine aid), that of Sir Francis Drake.

The 1926 grant was of arms alone. On March 6, 1962 a further grant of crest and supporters was obtained. The crest is the head of a Dartmoor Pony rising from a "Naval Crown". This distinctive form of crown is formed from the sails and sterns of ships, and is associated with the Royal Navy. The supporters are a Devon bull and a sea lion. [4] [5]

In 1974 Devon County Council was reconstituted by the Local Government Act 1972, necessitating the transfer of the coat of arms to the new council in 1975.[6] In April 2006 the council unveiled a new logo which was to be used in place of the coat of arms in most everyday applications. The armorial bearings will, however, continue to be used for "various civic purposes".[7] [8]

[edit] Flag

The flag of Devon
The flag of Devon

Devon has its own (unofficial) flag which has been dedicated to Saint Petroc, a local saint with numerous dedications throughout Devon and neighbouring counties. The flag was adopted in 2003 after a competition run by BBC Devon.[9] The winning design was created by website contributor Ryan Sealey, and won 49% of the votes cast.

The colours of the flag are those popularly identified with Devon, for example, the colours of the rugby union team, and the Green and White flag flown by the first Viscount Exmouth at the Bombardment of Algiers (now on view at the Teign Valley Museum).

On 17 October 2006, the flag was hoisted for the first time outside County Hall in Exeter to mark Local Democracy Week.[10]

[edit] Culture

  • Devon's place names include many with the ending 'combe' (often mispronounced by those not from the area, with an emphasis on the 'o') or 'tor' (meaning hill or mound) that are elements of Brythonic origin (compare Welsh cwm and twr) borrowed into English. Whilst 'combe' is found in other counties (for example, in neighbouring Cornwall and Somerset), its frequency is greatest in Devon, where it is the second most common place name component (after 'ton'). As with much of Britain, river names are often Brythonic in origin, if not pre-Celtic, for example the rivers Exe, Axe, Taw, Torridge and Plym.
  • Devon has been home to a number of unique customs, such as its own form of wrestling. As recently as the 19th century, a crowd of 17,000 at Devonport, near Plymouth, attended a match between the champions of Devon and Cornwall.
  • Another Devon sport was 'outhurling' which was played in some regions until the twentieth century (e.g. 1922, at Great Torrington).
  • Other ancient customs which survive include Dartmoor step dancing, and 'Crying The Neck'.

[edit] Famous Devonians

[edit] Devon as a descriptor

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/3684291.stm
  2. ^ http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_economy/RegionalGVA.pdf
  3. ^ A. C. Fox-Davies, The Book of Public Arms, 2nd edition, London, 1915
  4. ^ W. C. Scott-Giles, Civic Heraldry of England and Wales, 2nd edition, London, 1953
  5. ^ A brief history of Devon's coat of arms (Devon County Council)
  6. ^ Local Authorities (Armorial Bearings) Order 1975
  7. ^ Council's designs cause logo row (BBC News)
  8. ^ [http://www.devon.gov.uk/index/democracycommunities/decision_making/cma/cma_document.htm?cmadoc=minutes_spr_20060403.html Policy and Resources Overview Scrutiny Committee Minutes, April 3 2006]
  9. ^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/devon/community_life/features/devon_flag.shtml
  10. ^ Western Morning News article

[edit] External links

[edit] General information about Devon

[edit] Tourist information

[edit] Photographs

  • Dartmoor Virtual Tour Landscape Leaps: Dartmoor 360°. Interactive Virtual Tour of Dartmoor National Park, Devon, England
  • [www.lotstodo.co.uk] - the Devon Association of Tourist Attractions' website

[edit] Devon news and sport

  • This is Devon The website of the Western Morning News, Mid Devon Gazette and North Devon Journal.


Districts of South West England Flag of England

Bath and North East Somerset | Bournemouth | Bristol | Caradon | Carrick | Cheltenham | Christchurch | Cotswold | East Devon | East Dorset | Exeter | Forest of Dean | Gloucester | Isles of Scilly | Kennet | Kerrier | Mendip | Mid Devon | North Cornwall | North Devon | North Dorset | North Somerset | North Wiltshire | Penwith | Plymouth | Poole | Purbeck | Restormel | Salisbury | Sedgemoor | South Gloucestershire | South Hams | South Somerset | Stroud | Swindon | Taunton Deane | Teignbridge | Tewkesbury | Torbay | Torridge | West Devon | West Dorset | West Somerset | West Wiltshire | Weymouth and Portland

Counties with multiple districts: Cornwall - Devon - Dorset - Gloucestershire - Somerset - Wiltshire
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