Devon
Flag
Motto of County Council: Auxilio divino (Latin: By divine aid)
Geography
Status	Ceremonial & (smaller) Non-metropolitan county
Region	South West England
Area - Total - Admin. The Flag of Devon is the Flag of the English county of Devon. A motto (from the Italian word motto, meaning witticism sentence is a phrase meant to formally describe the general motivation or intention of a social group A County council is the elected administrative body governing an area known as a County. Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. The ceremonial counties are areas of England that are appointed a Lord-Lieutenant, and are defined by the government as the Counties for the purposes of the Lieutenancies Metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties are one of the four levels of Subdivisions of England used for the purposes of Local government outside Greater London The region, also known as the government office region, is currently the highest tier of local government sub-national entity of England, with only one South West England is one of the Regions of England. It is the largest such region in terms of area and extends from Gloucestershire and Wiltshire to Area is a Quantity expressing the two- Dimensional size of a defined part of a Surface, typically a region bounded by a closed Curve. council - Admin. area	Ranked 4th 6,707 km² (2,590 sq mi) Ranked 3rd 6,564 km² (2,534 sq mi)
Admin HQ	Exeter
ISO 3166-2	GB-DEV
ONS code	18
NUTS 3	UKK43
Demography
Population - Total (2006 est. Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. Exeter ( (IPA ˈeksɪtər is a city, district and County town of Devon, England. ISO 3166-2GB is an ISO standard which defines Geocodes it is the subset of ISO 3166-2 which applies to the United Kingdom. The Office for National Statistics coding system is a hierarchical code used in the United Kingdom for tabulating Census and other statistical data The Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics, ( NUTS) for the French nomenclature d'unités territoriales statistiques, is a Geocode In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology ) - Density - Admin. Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume council - Admin. pop.	Ranked 11th 1,122,100 167/km² (433/sq mi) Ranked 12th 740,800
Ethnicity	98. This is a List of Ceremonial counties of England by Population. This is a list of non-metropolitan counties of England by population. 7% White
Politics
Devon County Council http://www.devon.gov.uk/
Executive	Liberal Democrat
Members of Parliament	Ben Bradshaw (L) Angela Browning (C) Geoffrey Cox (C) Linda Gilroy (L)/(Co-op) Nick Harvey (LD) Adrian Sanders (LD) Alison Seabeck (L) Anthony Steen (C) Gary Streeter (C) Hugo Swire (C) Richard Younger-Ross (LD)
Districts
Exeter East Devon Mid Devon North Devon Torridge West Devon South Hams Teignbridge Plymouth (Unitary) Torbay (Unitary)

Devon is a large county in the South West of England. The Liberal Democrats, often shortened to Lib Dems, are a liberal Political party in the United Kingdom, formed in 1988 by merging the Composition Graphical representation of the House of Commons This is a comparison of the party strengths in the British House of Commons Benjamin Peter James Bradshaw (born 30 August 1960 in London) is a British Politician and the Labour Member of Parliament for The Labour Party is a Political party in the United Kingdom. Founded at the start of the 20th century it has been since the 1920s the principal party of the Angela Frances Browning (born 4 December 1946 is a British Politician. The Conservative Party (officially the Conservative and Unionist Party) is a Political party in the United Kingdom. Charles Geoffrey Cox, QC (born 30 April 1960 Swindon) is a British Conservative Politician and Barrister. The Conservative Party (officially the Conservative and Unionist Party) is a Political party in the United Kingdom. Linda Gilroy (b 19 July 1949, Moffat, Scotland) is a British Politician. The Labour Party is a Political party in the United Kingdom. Founded at the start of the 20th century it has been since the 1920s the principal party of the The Co-operative Party is a democratic socialist Political party in the United Kingdom committed to supporting and representing co-operative Nicholas James "Nick" Harvey is a British Politician. The Liberal Democrats, often shortened to Lib Dems, are a liberal Political party in the United Kingdom, formed in 1988 by merging the Adrian Mark Sanders (born 25 April 1959 Paignton) is a Liberal Democrat politician in the United Kingdom. The Liberal Democrats, often shortened to Lib Dems, are a liberal Political party in the United Kingdom, formed in 1988 by merging the Alison Jane Seabeck (born 20 January 1954 in Dagenham) is the Labour MP for Plymouth Devonport. The Labour Party is a Political party in the United Kingdom. Founded at the start of the 20th century it has been since the 1920s the principal party of the Anthony David Steen (born 22 July 1939 is a politician in the United Kingdom. The Conservative Party (officially the Conservative and Unionist Party) is a Political party in the United Kingdom. Gary Nicholas Streeter (born 2 October 1955, Gosport) is a politician in the United Kingdom. The Conservative Party (officially the Conservative and Unionist Party) is a Political party in the United Kingdom. Hugo George William Swire (born 30 November 1959) is a politician in the United Kingdom. The Conservative Party (officially the Conservative and Unionist Party) is a Political party in the United Kingdom. Richard Alan Younger-Ross (born Richard Alan Ross January 29, 1953, Surrey) is a politician in England. The Liberal Democrats, often shortened to Lib Dems, are a liberal Political party in the United Kingdom, formed in 1988 by merging the Exeter ( (IPA ˈeksɪtər is a city, district and County town of Devon, England. Geography Mid Devon shares borders with several other Devon districts as well as the county of Somerset This article is about the region of England For the breed of cattle see North Devon cattle. See also Annery kiln Bideford History In the Anglo-Saxon era the South Hams was a feudal estate consisting of all of the land between the River Plym and River Dart and south of Settlements Teignbridge contains the following towns and villages Abbotskerswell Ashburton Ashcombe Plymouth ( is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England about south west of London. Geography There are three main towns around the bay Torquay in the north Paignton in the centre and Brixham in the south which have become connected The counties of England are territorial divisions of England for the purposes of administrative political and geographical demarcation South West England is one of the Regions of England. It is the largest such region in terms of area and extends from Gloucestershire and Wiltshire to England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Alternatively people refer to the county as Devonshire, but it is an entirely unofficial name, often indicating a traditional or historical context. The county shares borders with Cornwall to the west and Dorset and Somerset to the east. Cornwall ( Kernow ˈkɛɹnɔʊ is the most southwesterly county of England, on the Peninsula that lies to the west of the River Tamar Dorset ( (or archaically, Dorsetshire) is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast Somerset ( or) is a county in south west England The County town is Taunton, which is in the south of the county Its coastline follows the English Channel to the south and the Bristol Channel to the north. The Bristol Channel ( Môr Hafren) is a major inlet in the island of Great Britain, separating South Wales from Devon and Somerset

Devon is the third largest of the English counties and has 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. A county town is the 'capital' of a County in the United Kingdom or Republic of Ireland. Exeter ( (IPA ˈeksɪtər is a city, district and County town of Devon, England. See also Independent city A unitary authority is a type of Local authority that has a single tier and is responsible for all Local government functions Plymouth ( is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England about south west of London. Geography There are three main towns around the bay Torquay in the north Paignton in the centre and Brixham in the south which have become connected In addition to Devon County Council itself, much of the county is rural or National Park land. A national park is a reserve of land usually declared and owned by a national Government, protected from most Human development and pollution 365 square miles (950 km²) are occupied by Dartmoor and as a result of its rural land use it has, by British standards, a low population density. Dartmoor is an area of Moorland in the centre of Devon, England.

The county is home to England's only natural UNESCO World Heritage Site, which is the Dorset and East Devon Coast, known as the Jurassic Coast for its geology and geographical features. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization ( UNESCO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations established on November 16 A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a site (such as a Forest, Mountain, Lake, Desert, Monument, Building, complex The Jurassic Coast is a World Heritage Site on the English Channel coast of southern England. Geology (from Greek γη gê, "earth" and λόγος Logos, "speech" lit Along with its neighbour, Cornwall, Devon is known as the "Cornubian massif". Cornwall ( Kernow ˈkɛɹnɔʊ is the most southwesterly county of England, on the Peninsula that lies to the west of the River Tamar This geology gives rise to the landscapes of Dartmoor and Exmoor, which are both National Parks. Dartmoor is an area of Moorland in the centre of Devon, England. Exmoor is a National Park situated on the Bristol Channel coast of south west England The national parks of England and Wales are areas of relatively undeveloped and scenic landscape that are designated under the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949 Devon has seaside resorts and historic towns and cities, plus a mild climate, accounting for the large tourist sector of its economy.

Contents 1 History 1.1 Toponymy 1.2 Human occupation 2 Economy and industry 3 Geology, landscape and ecology 4 Politics and administration 5 Cities, towns and villages 6 Symbols 6.1 Coat of Arms 6.2 Flag 7 Culture 7.1 Sport 7.2 Famous Devonians 8 Education 9 See also 10 References 11 External links

History

Main article: History of Devon

Toponymy

The name 'Devon' derives from the name of the Celtic people who inhabited the southwestern peninsula of Britain at the time of the Roman invasion c. Devon is a county in south west England, bordering Cornwall to the west with Dorset and Somerset to the east Celts (ˈkɛlts or /ˈsɛlts/, see Names of the Celts This page refers to the conquest begun in AD 43 For other Roman invasions see Caesar's invasions of Britain and Carausian Revolt. 50AD, known as the Dumnonii, thought to mean 'deep valley dwellers'. The Dumnonii or Dumnones were a Celtic tribe who inhabited the farther parts of the South West peninsula of Britain during the Iron Age and the In some of the Celtic languages, Devon is known as Dyfnaint (Welsh), Devnent in Breton, Dewnans (Cornish) and reconstructed as Deunens/Deunans in (Old Devonian). Welsh ( cy Cymraeg or cy y Gymraeg, kəmˈrɑːɨɡ and {{IPA|[ə ɡəmˈrɑːɨɡ]}}, is a member of the Brythonic branch of Celtic The Breton language ( Brezhoneg) formerly often called Armoric or Armorican, is a Celtic language spoken by some of the inhabitants of Brittany For the Cornish-English dialect see West Country dialects and List of Cornish dialect words.

William Camden, in his 1607 edition of Britannia described Devon as being one part of an older, wider country that once included Cornwall:

[It] was in ancient time inhabited by those Britains whom Solinus called Dunmonii … . William Camden ( 2 May 1551 &ndash 9 November 1623) was an English Antiquarian and historian But … the Country of this nation is at this day divided into two parts, known by later names of Cornwall and Denshire …

—William Camden, Britannia. ^[1]

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. One theory is 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. Duke of Devonshire is a title in the Peerage of England held by members of the aristocratic Cavendish family History The area that is now Derbyshire was first visited probably briefly by humans 200000 years ago during the Aveley Interglacial as evidenced by a Middle However, there are references to 'Defenascire' in old English texts from before 1000AD,^[2] which translates to modern English as 'Devonshire'. The term Devonshire may have originated around the 8th century, when it changed from Dumnonia to Defensascir. ^[3]

Human occupation

Devon was one of the first areas of England settled following the end of the last ice age. An ice age is a period of long-term reduction in the Temperature of the Earth 's surface and atmosphere resulting in an expansion of continental Ice sheets Dartmoor is thought to have been settled by Mesolithic hunter-gatherer peoples from about 6000 BC. Dartmoor is an area of Moorland in the centre of Devon, England. The Mesolithic or Middle Stone Age was a period in the development of human technology in between the Paleolithic or Old Stone Age and the Neolithic or New Stone Age A hunter-gatherer society is one whose primary subsistence method involves the direct procurement of edible plants and animals from the wild Foraging and Hunting The Romans held the area under military occupation for around 250 years. Later the area became a frontier between Brythonic Dumnonia and Anglo-Saxon Wessex, and it was absorbed into Wessex by the mid-9th century. For the Brythonic colony of the same name in Brittany see Domnonée Dumnonia, sometimes referred to as Damnolia, was a Brythonic For their language see Anglo-Saxon language. Anglo-Saxon is the term usually used to describe the invading Tribes in the south West Saxon redirects here For other meanings of Wessex or West Saxon see Wessex (disambiguation.

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. The Wars of the Roses (1455–1485 were a series of dynastic Civil wars fought in England between supporters of the Houses of Lancaster and York Perkin Warbeck (1474 &ndash 23 November 1499) was a Pretender to the English throne during the reign of King Henry VII of England The Prayer Book Rebellion, Western Rising or Western Rebellion was a popular revolt in Cornwall and Devon, in 1549 The English Civil War (1642-1651 was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists. The arrival of William of Orange to launch the Glorious Revolution of 1688 took place at Brixham. William III or William of Orange (14 November 1650 &ndash 8 March 1702 He is informally known in Northern Ireland and Scotland as "King Billy" The Glorious Revolution, also called the Revolution of 1688, was the overthrow of King James II of England (VII of Scotland in 1688 by a union Brixham (ˈbrɪksəm is a small town in the county of Devon, in the south-west of England.

Devon has produced tin, copper and other metals from ancient times. Tin is a Chemical element with the symbol Sn (stannum and Atomic number 50 Copper (ˈkɒpɚ is a Chemical element with the symbol Cu (cuprum and Atomic number 29 Devon's tin miners enjoyed a substantial degree of independence through Devon's stannary parliament, which dates back to the twelfth century. The Stannary Parliaments and Stannary Courts were legislative and legal institutions in Cornwall and in West Devon (in the Dartmoor area The last recorded sitting was in 1748. ^[4]

Economy and industry

Main article: Economy and industry of Devon

Devon is one of the rural counties, with the advantages and problems characteristic of these. Devon is a county in South West England. Like neighbouring Cornwall to the west Devon is disadvantaged economically compared to other parts of southern Torquay (tɔrˈkiː is a town in the Unitary authority of Torbay and ceremonial county of Devon, England. Despite this, the county's economy is also heavily influenced by its two main urban centres, Plymouth and Exeter.

Like neighbouring Cornwall to the west, Devon is disadvantaged economically compared to other parts of southern England, owing to the decline of a number of core industries, notably fishing, mining and farming. Cornwall ( Kernow ˈkɛɹnɔʊ is the most southwesterly county of England, on the Peninsula that lies to the west of the River Tamar 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 these areas of North Devon are only 20 miles (32 km), by boat from Swansea in Wales. The European Community (EC is one of the Three pillars of the European Union (EU created under the Maastricht Treaty (1992 The Regional policy of the European Union (EU is a policy with the stated aim of improving the Economic Well-being of certain regions Exmoor is a National Park situated on the Bristol Channel coast of south west England Hartland Point is a high rocky outcrop of land on the northwestern tip of the Devon coast in England. Swansea ( Abertawe "mouth of the Tawe " is a city and county in Wales. A proposal, which has the backing of both the Welsh Assembly Government and the South West Regional Assembly, as well as Devon County Council is to have a year-round ferry service from either Ilfracombe or Bideford to Swansea which would help stimulate and build economic growth for both South-West Wales and the North coast of Devon and Cornwall. The Welsh Assembly Government (WAG (Llywodraeth Cynulliad Cymru LlCC) was firstly an executive body of the National Assembly for Wales, consisting of The South West Regional Assembly (SWRA is the regional assembly for the South West region of England, established in 1999. Devon is a large county in the South West of England. The county is also referred to as Devonshire, but that is an entirely unofficial name Ilfracombe is a Seaside resort and Civil parish on the north coast of Devon, England with a small Harbour, surrounded by

The 2001 UK foot and mouth crisis harmed the farming community severely. The outbreak of Foot-and-mouth disease in the United Kingdom in the spring and summer of 2001 caused a crisis in British Agriculture and ^[5] Nearly half of the holdings of the Duchy of Cornwall are in Devon, including a large area of farmland. The Duchy of Cornwall is with the Duchy of Lancaster, one of the two Royal duchies in England.

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. Dartmoor is an area of Moorland in the centre of Devon, England. Exmoor is a National Park situated on the Bristol Channel coast of south west England The Jurassic Coast is a World Heritage Site on the English Channel coast of southern England. The Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape is a World Heritage Site which includes select mining landscapes across Cornwall and West Devon in the south In 2004 the county's tourist revenue was £1. 2 billion. ^[6]

The attractive lifestyle of the area is drawing in new industries which are not heavily dependent upon geographical location. In 2003, the Met Office, the UK's weather service, moved to Exeter. For the UKMET model see Tropical cyclone forecast model. The Met Office (originally an abbreviation for Meteorological Office,

Geology, landscape and ecology

Devon is the only county in England to have two separated coastlines; the South West Coast Path runs along the entire length of both, around 65% of which is named as Heritage Coast. Heaths are Shrubland habitats characterised by open low growing woody Vegetation, found on mainly infertile Acidic soils Woodbury Common in East Devon is an area of Common land that is predominantly Heathland adjacent to the village of Woodbury Devon and containing The South West Coast Path is Britain's longest waymarked long-distance footpath and a National Trail. A Heritage Coast is a strip of UK Coastline designated by the Countryside Agency in England and the Countryside Council for Wales as having notable Inland, the Dartmoor National Park lies wholly in Devon, and the Exmoor National Park lies in both Devon and Somerset. Dartmoor is an area of Moorland in the centre of Devon, England. A national park is a reserve of land usually declared and owned by a national Government, protected from most Human development and pollution Exmoor is a National Park situated on the Bristol Channel coast of south west England Somerset ( or) is a county in south west England The County town is Taunton, which is in the south of the county Apart from these areas of high moorland the county has attractive rolling rural scenery, and villages with thatched cob cottages. Cob is a Building material consisting of Clay, Sand, Straw, water and earth, similar to Adobe. All these features make Devon a popular holiday destination. Tourism is Travel for Recreational or Leisure purposes The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people who "travel The variety of habitats means that there is a wide range of wildlife (see Dartmoor wildlife, for example). Dartmoor and the fact that a great deal of it is undisturbed for much of the year is an encouragement to the wildlife. A popular challenge among birders is to find over 100 species in the county in a day. Birdwatching or birding is the observation and study of Birds with the naked eye or through a visual enhancement device like Binoculars. The county's wildlife is protected by the Devon Wildlife Trust, a charity which looks after 40 nature reserves. The Devon Wildlife Trust is a member of The Wildlife Trusts partnership covering the county of Devon, England.

The landscape of the south consists of rolling hills dotted with small towns, such as Dartmouth, Salcombe, Totnes amongst others. Dartmouth is a town in Devon in the south-west of England. It is a Tourist destination set on the banks of the estuary of the River Dart There is another town named Salcombe also known as Salcombe Regis, near Sidmouth in east Devon Totnes (ˈtɒtnɨs or /tɒtˈnɛs/ is a market town at the head of the estuary of the River Dart in Devon, England within the South Devon Area The towns of Torquay and Paignton are the principal seaside resorts on the south coast. Torquay (tɔrˈkiː is a town in the Unitary authority of Torbay and ceremonial county of Devon, England. Paignton (ˈpeɪntən is a coastal town in Devon in England. Together with Torquay and Brixham it forms the Unitary authority of A seaside resort is a Resort located on the Coast. Where a Beach is the primary focus for Tourists it may be called a beach resort The north of the county is very rural with few major towns except Barnstaple, Great Torrington, Bideford and Ilfracombe. Barnstaple ( IPA /ˈbɑːnstəbl/ is a town in the county of Devon in the south west of England. Great Torrington (generally abbreviated to Torrington, though it should be noted that the villages of Little Torrington and Black Torrington are situated Bideford is a small Port Town on the estuary of the River Torridge in north Devon, south-west England. Ilfracombe is a Seaside resort and Civil parish on the north coast of Devon, England with a small Harbour, surrounded by 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 (ˈɛksməθ is a port Town and Seaside resort in Devon, England, at the east side of the mouth of the River Exe Sidmouth (ˈsɪdməθ is a small town on the English Channel Coast in Devon, South West England. Exmouth marks the western end of the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site. The Jurassic Coast is a World Heritage Site on the English Channel coast of southern England. A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a site (such as a Forest, Mountain, Lake, Desert, Monument, Building, complex

Devon gave its name to a geological era: the Devonian era, so named by Adam Sedgwick because the distinctive Old Red Sandstone of Exmoor was studied by geologists here. Foreland Point is a rocky headland in Devon near Lynmouth, and is the most northerly point along the Devon and Exmoor coast The Devonian is a geologic period and system of the Paleozoic era spanning from to  million years ago. Adam Sedgwick ( 22 March 1785 &ndash 27 January 1873) was one of the founders of modern Geology. The Old Red Sandstone is a Rock formation of considerable importance to early Paleontology. Devon's other major rock system is the carboniferous sandstone which stretches from Bideford to Bude in Cornwall, and contributes to a gentler, greener, more rounded landscape. Bideford is a small Port Town on the estuary of the River Torridge in north Devon, south-west England. Bude (Bud is a small seaside resort town in North Cornwall, England, United Kingdom, at the mouth of the River Neet

Devon's Exmoor coast has the highest cliffs in southern Britain, culminating in the Great Hangman, a 1043 ft (318 m) "hog-backed" hill with an 820 ft (250 m) cliff-face, located near Combe Martin Bay. Hangman cliffs are near Combe Martin on Devon 's Exmoor coast Its sister cliff is the 716 ft (218 m) Little Hangman, which marks the edge of Exmoor.

One of the features of the North Devon coast is that Bideford Bay and the Hartland Point peninsula are both west-facing, Atlantic facing coastlines; meaning that a combination of an off-shore (east) wind and an Atlantic swell produce excellent surf. Hartland Point is a high rocky outcrop of land on the northwestern tip of the Devon coast in England. The beaches of Bideford Bay (Woolacombe, Saunton, Westward Ho! and Croyde), along with North Cornwall, and the coast of South Wales, are the main centres of surfing in Britain. Woolacombe is a Seaside resort on the coast of North Devon, England, which lies at the mouth of a valley (or ' Combe ' Saunton is a village located approximately two miles from Braunton, on the North Devon coast in the South West of England. Westward Ho! is a seaside village near Bideford in Devon, England. Croyde is a village on the west-facing coastline of North Devon.

Rising temperatures have led to Devon becoming the first place in modern Britain to commercially cultivate olives. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The Olive is the Fruit of the Olive tree (Olea europaea and is a major component of the Agriculture and Gastronomy of many countries ^[7]

Politics and administration

The administrative centre of Devon is the city of Exeter. Exeter Cathedral is an Anglican Cathedral in the city of Exeter, Devon, in the southwest of England and Exeter ( (IPA ˈeksɪtər is a city, district and County town of Devon, England. The largest city in Devon Plymouth, and the conurbation of Torbay (including 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. Plymouth ( is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England about south west of London. Geography There are three main towns around the bay Torquay in the north Paignton in the centre and Brixham in the south which have become connected Torquay (tɔrˈkiː is a town in the Unitary authority of Torbay and ceremonial county of Devon, England. Paignton (ˈpeɪntən is a coastal town in Devon in England. Together with Torquay and Brixham it forms the Unitary authority of Brixham (ˈbrɪksəm is a small town in the county of Devon, in the south-west of England. See also Independent city A unitary authority is a type of Local authority that has a single tier and is responsible for all Local government functions Devon is a large county in the South West of England. The county is also referred to as Devonshire, but that is an entirely unofficial name Local governments are administrative offices that are smaller than a State.

Devon County Council, is controlled by the Liberal Democrats,^[8] consists of 33 Liberal Democrats, 23 Conservatives, four Labour and two independent councillors. The Liberal Democrats, often shortened to Lib Dems, are a liberal Political party in the United Kingdom, formed in 1988 by merging the The Conservative Party (officially the Conservative and Unionist Party) is a Political party in the United Kingdom. The Labour Party is a Political party in the United Kingdom. Founded at the start of the 20th century it has been since the 1920s the principal party of the ^[9] At a national level, Devon has five Conservative MPs, three Liberal Democrat MPs, and three Labour MPs. A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters to a Parliament.

In December 2007, the Department for Communities and Local Government referred Exeter City Council's bid to become a Unitary Council to the Boundary Committee. The Department for Communities and Local Government (branded as Communities and Local Government) is the United Kingdom government department for communities Exeter City Council is the council and local government of the city of Exeter, Devon. This was because they felt the application did not meet all their strict criteria. The Boundary Committee will report back to the Government by the end of year. The Boundary Committee will be asked look at the feasibility of a unitary Exeter in the context of examining options for unitary arrangements in the wider Devon county area. Exeter ( (IPA ˈeksɪtər is a city, district and County town of Devon, England.

Cities, towns and villages

For a complete list of settlements see list of places in Devon. This is a list of settlements and places of interest in Devon, England.

The main settlements in Devon are the cities of Plymouth, a historic port now administratively independent, Exeter, the county town, and Torbay, the county's tourist centre. Brixham (ˈbrɪksəm is a small town in the county of Devon, in the south-west of England. A county town is the 'capital' of a County in the United Kingdom or Republic of Ireland. Geography There are three main towns around the bay Torquay in the north Paignton in the centre and Brixham in the south which have become connected Devon's coast is lined with tourist resorts, many of which grew rapidly with the arrival of the railways in the 19th century. Examples include Dawlish, Exmouth and Sidmouth on the south coast, and Ilfracombe and Lynmouth on the north. For the Harry Potter character see John Dawlish Dawlish (ˈdɔːlɪʃ is a Town on the south coast of Devon Exmouth (ˈɛksməθ is a port Town and Seaside resort in Devon, England, at the east side of the mouth of the River Exe Sidmouth (ˈsɪdməθ is a small town on the English Channel Coast in Devon, South West England. Ilfracombe is a Seaside resort and Civil parish on the north coast of Devon, England with a small Harbour, surrounded by Distinguish from Lynemouth in Northumberland. The Lynmouth lifeboat At 752pm on 12 January 1899, a 1900 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. Geography There are three main towns around the bay Torquay in the north Paignton in the centre and Brixham in the south which have become connected Torquay (tɔrˈkiː is a town in the Unitary authority of Torbay and ceremonial county of Devon, England. Paignton (ˈpeɪntən is a coastal town in Devon in England. Together with Torquay and Brixham it forms the Unitary authority of Brixham (ˈbrɪksəm is a small town in the county of Devon, in the south-west of England. Rural market towns in the county include Axminster, Barnstaple, Bideford, Honiton, Newton Abbot, Okehampton, Tavistock and Tiverton. Market town or market right is a legal term originating in the Medieval period for a European settlement that has the right to hold Markets Axminster is a small market town on the eastern border of Devon, England. Barnstaple ( IPA /ˈbɑːnstəbl/ is a town in the county of Devon in the south west of England. Bideford is a small Port Town on the estuary of the River Torridge in north Devon, south-west England. Honiton is a town in East Devon, situated close to the River Otter, 17 miles northeast of Exeter in the county of Devon. Newton Abbot is a market Town in Devon, England on the River Teign, with a population of 23580 (2001 census Okehampton is a Town and Civil parish in Devon, England, at the northern edge of Dartmoor, on the River Okement. Tavistock is a Market town within West Devon, England on the River Tavy, from which its name derives and has a Tiverton is an English town in the County of Devon. The administrative centre for the Mid Devon district its population is about 18500

Symbols

Coat of Arms

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. A coat of arms or armorial bearings (often just arms for short in European tradition is a design belonging to a particular person (or group of people Exeter ( (IPA ˈeksɪtər is a city, district and County town of Devon, England. " Semper Fidelis " is Latin for "Always faithful" Best known to Americans as the motto of the United States Marine Corps (often " When a county council was formed by the Local Government Act 1888 it was required to adopt a common seal. The Local Government Act 1888 (51 & 52 Vict c 41 was passed by the Parliament of the United Kingdom in 1888 and established County councils and County borough 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). Charles Henry Rolle Hepburn-Stuart-Forbes-Trefusis 20th Baron Clinton ( 2 March 1834 - 29 March 1904) was a British Conservative Earl of Morley, in the County of Devon is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. ^[10]

The county council received a grant of arms from the College of Arms on October 11, 1926. The College of Arms, or Heralds' College, is an office regulating Heraldry and granting new Armorial bearings for England, Wales Events 1138 - A massive earthquake struck Aleppo, Syria. 1531 - Huldrych Zwingli is killed Year 1926 ( MCMXXVI) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The main part of the shield displays a red crowned lion on a silver field, the arms of Richard Plantagenet, Earl of Cornwall. Richard of Cornwall ( 5 January 1209 – 2 April 1272) was Count of Poitou (from 1225 to 1243 Earl of Cornwall (from 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. Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. Sir Francis Drake, Vice Admiral, (c 1540 &ndash 27 January 1595 was an English Privateer, navigator, Slaver, and politician The 1926 grant was of arms alone. On March 6, 1962 a further grant of crest and supporters was obtained. Events 1079 - Omar Khayyám completes the Iranian calendar. 1454 - Thirteen Years' War: Delegates of Year 1962 ( MCMLXII) was a Common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The crest is the head of a Dartmoor Pony rising from a "Naval Crown". The Dartmoor pony has lived in southern This distinctive form of crown is formed from the sails and sterns of ships, and is associated with the Royal Navy. The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British armed services (and is therefore known as the Senior Service) The supporters are a Devon bull and a sea lion. ^{[11] [12]} 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". ^{[13] [14]}

Flag

Main article: 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 of Devon is the Flag of the English county of Devon. Petrock redirects here You may be looking for Pet Rock, or the 7th century Dumnonian king Petroc Baladrddellt. The flag was adopted in 2003 after a competition run by BBC Devon. ^[15] 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. Overview See also Playing rugby union A rugby union match lasts for 80 minutes (plus stoppage time with a short Viscount Exmouth, of Canonteign in the County of Devon is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. The Bombardment of Algiers ( August 27 1816) was an attempt by Britain to end the slavery practices of the Dey of Algiers. Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a Team sport played between two teams of eleven players and is widely considered For details of the current season see Plymouth Argyle FC season 2008-09 Plymouth Argyle Football Club, commonly known as Argyle On 17 October 2006, the flag was hoisted for the first time outside County Hall in Exeter to mark Local Democracy Week, receiving official recognition from the county council^[16]. Events 539 BC - King Cyrus The Great of Persia marches into the city of Babylon, releasing the Jews from almost Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar.

Culture

Devon's place names include many with the ending 'coombe/combe' or 'tor' - Coombe being the Brythonic word for 'valley' or hollow whilst tor derives from a number of Celtic loan-words in English (Old Welsh twrr and Scots Gaelic tòrr) used as a name for the formations of rocks found on the moorlands. Westward Ho! is a seaside village near Bideford in Devon, England. The River Taw rises at Taw Head, a spring on the central northern flanks of Dartmoor. The River Torridge is a river in Devon in England. It was the home of Tarka the Otter in Henry Williamson 's book An estuary is a semi-enclosed Coastal body of Water with one or more Rivers or Streams flowing into it and with a free connection to the open Its frequency is greatest in Devon, where it is the second most common place name component (after 'ton', derived from the Old English 'tun' meaning farm, village).

Devon has a variety of festivals and practices. 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. Ottery St Mary, known locally as just "Ottery" (pronounced ɒtərɪ or more colloquially ɒtrɪ is a town in the East Devon district of Devon, ^[17]

The county has given its name to a number of culinary specialities. The Devonshire cream tea, involving scones, jam and clotted cream, is thought to have originated in Devon (though claims have also been made for neighbouring counties); in other countries, such as Australia and New Zealand, it is known as a "Devonshire tea". A Cream tea, Devonshire tea or Cornish cream tea is Tea taken with a combination of Scones, Clotted cream, and Jam The scone is a British snack of Scottish origin A small quickbread made of Wheat, Barley or Oatmeal, usually with Clotted cream is a thick yellow Cream made by heating Unpasteurized cow's Milk and then leaving it in shallow pans for several hours For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island In New South Wales, Australia, Devon is a name for luncheon meat (processed ham). For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. Devon is a type of manufactured meat product sold in Australia. The name changes in different states of Australia (for example, 'Fritz' in South Australia, 'Polony' in Western Australia) but all describe the same type of meat. South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country Western Australia is a state occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent.

Sport

Devon has been home to a number of 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. Plymouth ( is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England about south west of London. 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'. Dartmoor is an area of Moorland in the centre of Devon, England. Crying The Neck is a Harvest festival tradition practised in the West Country of England, in particular Cornwall and Devon.

Devon has three professional football teams, based in each of its three most populated towns and cities. Competing in the Football League Championship, Plymouth Argyle F.C. are the biggest and most successful team in the county whilst Exeter City F.C. play in Football League Two. The Football League Championship (often referred to as The Championship for short or the Coca-Cola Football League Championship for sponsorship reasons For details of the current season see Plymouth Argyle FC season 2008-09 Plymouth Argyle Football Club, commonly known as Argyle Exeter City Football Club are an English football club based in Exeter, who were members of the Football League from 1920 to 2003 and rejoined Football League Two (often referred to as League Two for short or Coca-Cola Football League 2 for Sponsorship reasons is the third-highest division of Torquay United compete in the Conference National. Torquay United Football Club, nicknamed the Gulls is an English association football club based in the seaside resort town of Torquay, Devon Conference National (currently named the Blue Square Premier for sponsorship reasons is the top division of the Football Conference. Plymouth's best performance came in 1987 when they finished seventh in the Football League Second Division, while Torquay and Exeter have never progressed beyond the third tier of the league. From 1892 until 1992 the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football. The county's biggest non-league club is Tiverton Town F.C. which competes in the Southern Football League Premier Division. Tiverton Town Football Club (commonly known as Tiverton Town or simply Tiverton) are an English non-league football club from Tiverton Clubs for 2008-09 season Champions 1894-95 Millwall Athletic 1895-96 Millwall Athletic 1896-97 Southampton

Rugby Union is popular in Devon. Overview See also Playing rugby union A rugby union match lasts for 80 minutes (plus stoppage time with a short Two teams — Plymouth Albion and Exeter Chiefs — are, as of 2007, in National Division One. Plymouth Albion Rugby Football Club is a Rugby union club who play in Plymouth, England. Exeter Rugby Club is a Rugby union club based in Exeter, England. National Division One is the second tier of the English Rugby union leagues In basketball, Plymouth Raiders play in the British Basketball League. Basketball is a team Sport in which two teams of five active players each try to score points against one another by propelling a ball through a 10 feet (3 m The Plymouth Raiders, officially called Airwaves Plymouth Raiders by sponsorship is South-west England 's leading Basketball team Tamar Valley Cannons, also based in Plymouth, are Devon's only other representatives in the National Leagues. Plymouth Marjon Cannons is an English amateur Basketball team based in Plymouth, Devon. Plymouth ( is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England about south west of London. Motorcycle speedway is also supported in the county, with both the Exeter Falcons and Plymouth Devils succeeding in the National Leagues in recent years. Motorcycle speedway, usually referred to as speedway, is a Motorcycle sport involving four and sometimes up to six riders competing over four anti-clockwise The Exeter Falcons were a Speedway team which operated from 1947 until their closure in 2005 at the County Ground Stadium in Exeter. The Plymouth Devils are a speedway team in the British Conference League.

Famous Devonians

Main article: Notable people from Devon

Devon is known for its mariners, such as Sir Francis Chichester, Sir Francis Drake, Sir Humphrey Gilbert, Sir Richard Grenville and Sir Walter Raleigh. Sir Francis Chichester ( September 17 1901 &ndash August 26 1972) aviator and sailor was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II for becoming Sir Francis Drake, Vice Admiral, (c 1540 &ndash 27 January 1595 was an English Privateer, navigator, Slaver, and politician Sir Humphrey Gilbert (c 1539 &ndash 9 September 1583was an English murderer Adventurer, Explorer, Member of parliament, and soldier from Devon Sir Richard Grenville ( June 6, 1542 &ndash September 10, 1591) (sp Sir Walter Raleigh or Ralegh (c 1552 – 29 October 1618 was a famed English writer Poet, Soldier, Courtier and Explorer The poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge, the crime writer Agatha Christie, the painter and founder of the Royal Academy, Sir Joshua Reynolds, the dog breeder John "Jack" Russell and frontman Chris Martin from the English rock band Coldplay were born in Devon. Samuel Taylor Coleridge ( 21 October 1772 &ndash 25 July 1834) was an English Poet, Critic and philosopher Agatha Mary Clarissa Lady Mallowan, DBE (née Miller; 15 September 1890 &ndash 12 January 1976 commonly known as Agatha Christie, was an English This article refers to an art institution in London For other meanings of Royal Academy see Royal Academy (disambiguation. Sir Joshua Reynolds RA FRS FRSA (16 July 1723 &ndash 23 February 1792 was the most important and influential of 18th century English painters John ("Jack" Russell ( December 21, 1795 – April 28, 1883) "The Sporting Parson" was an enthusiastic hunter and Dog Christopher Anthony John Martin (born 2 March 1977 is the English lead Singer-songwriter, Pianist, and occasional rhythm Guitarist of the

Education

Devon has a mostly comprehensive education system, except for four grammar schools: in Colyton, Churston and a boys' and girls' school in Torquay. Colyton could be Colyton New South Wales Colyton Devon[http //www Churston (or Churston Ferrers) is a coastal village in Devon, England, twinned with the small village of Galmpton Torquay (tɔrˈkiː is a town in the Unitary authority of Torbay and ceremonial county of Devon, England. There are 37 state and 23 independent secondary schools. There are three tertiary (FE) colleges and an agricultural college (Bicton College, near Budleigh Salterton). Further education (often abbreviated "FE" is Post-secondary Education (in addition to that received at Secondary school) that is distinct from List of agricultural universities and colleges is an incomplete list of Agricultural Universities and Colleges. Bicton College is a small college (around 500 full-time and 1000 part-time pupils in Bicton Devon, that specialises in agriculture but is currently running courses such as Budleigh Salterton is a small Town on the south coast of Devon, England approximately 15 miles south of Exeter. Torbay has 8 state (with 3 grammar schools) and 3 independent secondary schools, and Plymouth has 17 state (with 3 grammar schools - two female and one male) and 2 independent secondary schools. East Devon and Teignbridge have the largest school populations, with West Devon the smallest (with only two schools). Only one school in Exeter, Mid Devon, Torridge and North Devon have a sixth form - the schools in other districts mostly have sixth forms, with all schools in West Devon and East Devon having a sixth form.

See also

• List of Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Devon
• West Country dialects
• Category:Rivers of Devon

References

External links

• Devon County Council
• BBC Devon
• Discover Devon Local tourist board
• Genuki Devon Historical, geographical and genealogical information

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