Devon is a county in South West England.
History
The name "Devon" derives from the Celtic people that inhabited the south western peninsular of Britain, the Dumnonii. It is believed that the Celtic language survived in (parts of) Devon until the middle ages, and a number of local customs are thought to derive from that heritage, though in comparison with Cornwall, Celtic placenames are less common.
Devon has produced tin, copper and other metals from ancient times. Tin was found largely on Dartmoor's granite heights, and copper in the areas around it. In the eighteenth century Devon Great Consols mine (near Tavistock) was believed to be the largest copper mine in the world. Devon's tin miners enjoyed a substantial degree of independence through Devon's stannary parliament, which dates back to the twelfth century. Stannary authority exceeded english law, and because this authority applied to part time miners (eg tin streamers) as well as full time miners the stannary parliament had significant power. The stannary parliament met in an open air parliament at Crockern Tor (Dartmoor) with stannators appointed to it from each stannary town. The parliament maintained its own gaol (at Lydford) and had a brutal and 'bloody' reputation for justice, and once even gaoled an English MP in the reign of Henry VIII. The last recorded sitting was in 1748, and it is believed they then adjourned to a pub in Tavistock.
Devon is also known for its mariners, such as Sir Francis Drake, Gilbert, Sir Richard Grenville and Sir Walter Raleigh. Plymouth Hoe is famous as the location where Drake continued to play bowls after hearing that the Spanish Armada had been sighted.
Devon has its own flag which has been dedicated to St Petroc, who is a local saint with numerous dedications throughout Devon and neighbouring counties.
Character of the county
The Dartmoor National Park lies wholly in Devon, and the Exmoor National Park partly so (the remainder is in Somerset). In addition Devon is the only county in Great Britain (not counting the traditional counties of Sutherland, Ross and Cromarty and Inverness-shire) 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. The inland of the county has much attractive rolling rural scenery, and villages with thatched cob cottages. All these features make Devon a popular holiday destination for many Britons. The variety of scenery also gives the county a rich bird life: a popular challenge for birdwatchers is to spot 100 species in the county in a day.
The landscape of the south coast consists of rolling hills dotted with small towns, such as Dartmouth, Salcombe, Totnes etc. 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 and Bideford.
Economy
Like its neighbouring county to the west, Cornwall, Devon is generally relatively disadvantaged economically (as compared to other parts of southern England) because of the decline of many traditional industries such as fishing, mining and farming. Most of Devon has qualified for the European Community Objective 2 status. The epidemic of Foot and Mouth (Hoof and Mouth) disease in 2001 harmed much of the farming community severely and had knock-on effects on the rest of the county. The attractive lifestyle of the area is drawing in many 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. Devon is one of the rural counties, with the advantages and problems characteristic of these.
The administrative centre of Devon is the city of Exeter. The city of Plymouth, 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.
Politics and administration
Cities, towns and villages
Places of interest
Rivers
Devon as a descriptor
Other Devons
External links