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Devon

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For other uses, see Devon (disambiguation).
"Devonshire" redirects here. For other uses, see Devonshire (disambiguation).
Devon
Ceremonial county
Motto: 
Auxilio divino (Latin: By divine aid)
Map
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Constituent countryEngland
RegionSouth West England
Time zoneUTC+0 (GMT)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+1 (BST)
Ceremonial county
Area[convert: needs a number]
 • Rank of 48
 • Rank of 48
Density[convert: needs a number]
Ethnicity
98.7% White
Part of the seafront of Torquay, south Devon, at high tide

Devon is a large county in South West England, bordered by Cornwall to the west, and Dorset and Somerset to the east. It is unique among English counties, in that it has two separated coastlines, on the English Channel and Bristol Channel branches of the Atlantic. Although Devon is the official county name, Devon and Devonshire are commonly used interchangeably in general use, with Devonshire often indicating a traditional or historical context.

Devon is geographically the fourth largest of the English counties, with a population of 1,109,900. The county town is the cathedral city of Exeter, and the county contains two independent unitary authorities, the port city of Plymouth and the Torbay conurbation of seaside resorts, in addition to Devon County Council itself. Much of the county is rural or National Park land (365 square miles or so are occupied by Dartmoor), and it has consequently, by British standards, a relatively low population density.

The Dorset and East Devon Coast, otherwise known as the Jurassic Coast due to its geology and geographical features, is the only natural UNESCO World Heritage Site in England. Geologically, Devon, along with its neighbour Cornwall is known as the "Cornubian massif". This geology gives rise to the unique landscapes of Dartmoor and Exmoor, both National Parks. In addition to these, Devon has many seaside resorts and several historic towns and cities, plus a mild climate, accounting for the large tourist sector of its economy.

There is some dispute over the use of Devonshire instead of Devon, and there is no official recognition of the term 'Devonshire' in modern times. Theories have included that the 'shire' suffix is due to a mistake in the making of the original letters patent for the Duke of Devonshire, resident in Derbyshire. However, there are references to 'Defenascire' in old english texts from before 1000AD,[1] which translates to modern English as 'Devonshire'. The term Devonshire may have originated around the 8th century, when it changed from Dumnonia to Defensascir.[2]

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...".[citation needed]

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 and Bideford (from the Norse "Bide-Fjord", fjord being the Viking name for an estuary), though the Vikings' most lasting legacy is probably the move of the cathedral from Crediton to Exeter.[citation needed]

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.[citation needed]

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.[citation needed]

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, the crime writer Agatha Christie and the dog breeder John "Jack" Russell were born in Devon. The county was also the childhood home of psychology pioneer Raymond Cattelland more recently the home of comedian Bill Bailey.

Economy and industry

Main article: Economy and industry of Devon

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, particularly around Exmoor, Bideford Bay and the Hartland Point peninsula which is somewhat cut off from industrial Britain by road and rail transport (although North Devon is only 20 miles by boat from Swansea in Wales).[citation needed] The 2001 Foot and Mouth (Hoof and Mouth) disease outbreak harmed the farming community severely.[citation needed] Nearly half of the holdings of the Duchy of Cornwall are in Devon, including a large area of farmland.[citation needed]

Since the rise of seaside resorts with the arrival of the railways in the 19th century, Devon's economy has been heavily reliant on tourism. The county's economy has followed the trend of British seaside resort decline since the mid-20th century, with some recent revival. This revival has been aided by the designation of much of Devon's countryside and coastline as the Dartmoor and Exmoor national parks, and the Jurassic Coast and Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape World Heritage Sites. In 2004 the county's tourist revenue was UK£1.2 billion.[3]

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.[citation needed] In 2003, the Met Office, the UK's 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.[citation needed]

Geology, landscape and ecology

Heathland at Woodbury Common in southeast Devon
File:CIMG4019.JPG
The Great Red cliff of Foreland point

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. 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.

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 coast has the highest cliffs in southern Britain, culminating in the 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. The coast of Devon, along with Wales and Cornwall, has more miles of Heritage Coast than any other region. Around 65% of Devon's 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 have lead to Devon becoming the first place in modern Britain to cultivate olives.

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 the remainder of Devon which is administered by Devon County Council for the purposes of local government.

The Department for Communities and Local Government is currently considering whether Exeter City Council should become a new unitary authority.[4][5]

Devon County Council, controlled by the Liberal Democrats[6], consists of 33 Liberal Democrats, 23 Conservatives, four Labour and two independent councillors.[7] At a national level, Devon has five Conservative MPs, three Liberal Democrat MPs, and three Labour MPs.

Exeter Cathedral

Cities, towns and villages

For a complete list of settlements see list of places in Devon.

The main settlements in Devon are the cities of Plymouth, a historic port now administratively independent, Exeter, the county town, and Torquay, the county's tourist hotspot. Devon's coast is lined with popular tourist resorts, many of which grew rapidly with the arrival of the railways in the 19th century. Notable examples include Dawlish, Exmouth and Sidmouth on the south coast, and Ilfracombe and Lynmouth on the north. The Torbay conurbation of Torquay, Paignton and Brixham on the south coast is perhaps the largest and most popular of these resorts, and is now administratively independent of the county. Rural market towns in the county include Axminster, Barnstaple, Bideford, Honiton, Newton Abbot, Okehampton, Tavistock and Tiverton.

Symbols

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 the 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).[8]

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. [9] [10] In April 2006 the council unveiled a new logo which was to be used in most everyday applications, though the coat of arms will continue to be used for "various civic purposes".[11] [12]

The flag of Devon

Devon also has its own flag which has been dedicated to Saint Petroc, a local saint with dedications throughout Devon and neighbouring counties. The flag was adopted in 2003 after a competition run by BBC Devon.[13] 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), as well as the county's most successful football team, Plymouth Argyle. On 17 October 2006, the flag was hoisted for the first time outside County Hall in Exeter to mark Local Democracy Week[14], receiving "official recognition" from the county council[15].

Culture

The beach at Westward Ho!, north Devon, looking north towards the Taw and Torridge estuaries
  • Devon's place names include many with the ending 'combe' 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'.
  • Devon also has a rich variety of odd festivals and practises. One example of these include the flaming tar barrels in Ottery St. Mary, where people who have lived in Ottery for long enough are called upon to celebrate Bonfire Night by running through the village, (and the gathered crowds) with flaming barrels of tar on their backs.

Sport

Famous Devonians

Main Article: Notable people from Devon

Devon as a descriptor

The inner harbour, Brixham, south Devon, at low tide

See also

References

  1. ^ "Manuscript A: The Parker Chronicle". Retrieved 2007-06-29.
  2. ^ Davies, Norman (2000). The Isles: A History. p. 207. ISBN 0333692837.
  3. ^ Devon County Council, 2005. Tourism trends in Devon.
  4. ^ Exeter City Council - One council for Exeter
  5. ^ Communities and Local Government - Proposals for future unitary structures: Stakeholder consultation
  6. ^ BBC News Article, 7 May 2005
  7. ^ Devon County Council, List of Councillors by party affiliation.
  8. ^ A. C. Fox-Davies, The Book of Public Arms, 2nd edition, London, 1915
  9. ^ W. C. Scott-Giles, Civic Heraldry of England and Wales, 2nd edition, London, 1953
  10. ^ A brief history of Devon's coat of arms (Devon County Council)
  11. ^ Council's designs cause logo row (BBC News)
  12. ^ [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]
  13. ^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/devon/community_life/features/devon_flag.shtml
  14. ^ Western Morning News article
  15. ^ Devon County Council Press Release, 16 October 2006

General information about Devon

Tourist information

Photographs

  • Dartmoor Virtual Tour Landscape Leaps: Dartmoor 360°. Interactive Virtual Tour of Dartmoor National Park, Devon, England

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Devon.
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