A hill fort With westerly or south-westerly winds and high pressure the area around Torbay and Teignmouth will often be warm, with long sunny spells due to shelter by high ground (Foehn wind). Border, South Somerset - area information, map, walks and more [33], Somerset contains HM Prison Shepton Mallet, which was England's oldest prison still in use prior to its closure in 2013, having opened in 1610. 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. The population density is 1.4 persons per hectare, which can be compared to 2.07 persons per hectare for the South West region. H. G. R. King, 'Scott, Robert Falcon (18681912)', Last edited on 26 February 2023, at 22:26, Learn how and when to remove this template message, The Victoria History of the County of Devon, List of towns and cities in Devon by population, Robert Willoughby, 1st Baron Willoughby de Broke, Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry, Southern Football League Premier Division, Southern Football League Division One South and West, List of Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Devon, "Lord-Lieutenant for Devon: David Fursdon Press releases", "2011 Census: Ethnic group, local authorities in England and Wales", "Welcome to the Dartmoor National Park Authority", "Devon | county, England, United Kingdom", "William Camden, Britannia (1607) with an English translation by Philemon Holland Danmonii", "Who do you think you really are? [] But the Country of this nation is at this day divided into two parts, knowen by later names of Cornwall and Denshire, [], The term Devon is normally used for everyday purposes, e.g. [117] NNB Generation Company, a subsidiary of EDF, submitted an application for development consent to the Infrastructure Planning Commission on 31 October 2011. Data is collected by local authority areas (Devon, Plymouth, Torbay respectively). Northern Lights Aurora Borealis captured on camera near Devon Floods across Devon and Cornwall after 'biblical' rainfall [78], Trevor Francis, former Nottingham Forest and Birmingham City professional footballer, and the first English footballer to cost 1million, was born and brought up in Plymouth.[79]. Other places to visit include Paignton Zoo, Lynton and Lynmouth Cliff Railway, the Royal Albert Memorial Museum and Art Gallery, the National Marine Aquarium, and RHS Garden Rosemoor. Continue further in the list below . Somerset OS Map Reference ST 105 214 Know before you go Size 5 hectares P Parking information Limited parking on roadside at ST 104 213 which is next to the entrance into the reserve. Devon, South West England contains this city, with Plymouth situated two miles east of Torpoint, 88 miles south-west of Cardiff, and 192 miles southwest of London.The district of Plymouth juts out two miles east from the border of Cornwall.One hundred percent of the income of Plymouth goes to the City of Plymouth. [119][120] On 8 October 2014 it was announced that the European Commission has approved the project, with an overwhelming majority and only four commissioners voting against the decision. Devon - Wikipedia Farming continued to flourish, and the Bath and West of England Society for the Encouragement of Agriculture, Arts, Manufactures and Commerce was founded in 1777 to improve farming methods. Battlefield Sites in Britain | Interactive Map - Historic UK This map above shows in dark green the Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs) in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Its derelict, early 20th century remains, was removed when the M5 motorway was constructed in the mid-1970s. Pick from a wide range of places to stay in Somerset: villages and farms to cottages and more.The perfect B&Bs and Guesthouses in Somerset! Somerset is a rural county of rolling hills, the Blackdown Hills, Mendip Hills, Quantock Hills and Exmoor National Park, and large flat expanses of land including the Somerset Levels. Several 'Bere's indicate Anglo-Saxon wood groves, as 'leighs' indicate clearings.[67]. The site was decommissioned and closed in July 2008. The Thatched House 391 reviews Closed today Bars & Pubs, Bar - Menu 20.9 mi Exeter "consistently good coffee, dog enjoys his Doggy Ice Cream (its a healthy one)." ". To the south-west of the Somerset Levels are the Quantock Hills which was England's first Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty designated in 1956[58] which is covered in heathland, oak woodlands, ancient parklands with plantations of conifer and covers 99 square kilometres. and broadly corresponds to the administrative district of Sedgemoor but also includes the south west of Mendip district. The county town of Devon, the City of Exeter, is the second most populous settlement. Percentage of White British persons is 94.467%. copyright This atlas was first published as a whole in 1579. [70], The main coastal towns are, from the west to the north-east, Minehead, Watchet, Burnham-on-Sea, Weston-super-Mare, Clevedon and Portishead. Volume III: Pitney, Somerton, and Tintinhull hundreds. [78] In September 2016, West Somerset and Taunton Deane councils agreed in principle to merge the districts. [73], Along with the rest of South West England, Somerset has a temperate climate which is generally wetter and milder than the rest of the country. Welsh cwm, Cornish komm) and 'tor' (Old Welsh twrr and Scots Gaelic trr from Latin turris; 'tower' used for granite formations) are rare Celtic loanwords in English and their frequency is greatest in Devon which shares a boundary with Brittonic speaking Cornwall. r250() () [7] Combined as a ceremonial county, Devon's area is 6,707km2 (2,590 square miles)[8] and its population is about 1.2million. Most of the rainfall in autumn and winter is caused by the Atlantic depressions, which is when they are most active. Until the 1960s, Puriton had Blue Lias stone quarries, as did several other Polden villages. Halsway Manor near Williton is an international centre for folk music. [47] The following night the Uphill decoy town, protecting the airfield at Weston-super-Mare, was bombed; a herd of dairy cows was hit, killing some and severely injuring others. These unitary authorities formed part of the administrative county of Somerset before the creation of Avon (a county created to cover Bristol and its environs in north Somerset and south Gloucestershire) in 1974. Holiday It is also found on the western, north and eastern borders of Dartmoor. The summer months of July and August are the warmest with mean daily maxima of approximately 21C (69.8F). The South West region consists of the counties of Cornwall (including the Isles of Scilly), Devon, Dorset, Somerset, Wiltshire, Gloucestershire and the former county of Avon. World's largest database for Information Security Professionals Use the interactive map below to browse the major battlesites of Britain. ), The region of Devon was the dominion of the pre-Roman Dumnonii Celtic tribe, known as the "Deep Valley Dwellers". [17], Devon has produced tin, copper and other metals from ancient times. The road is experiencing heavy traffic due to the incident in the village of Marsh, which . [22] There are numerous Iron Age hill forts, some of which, like Cadbury Castle[23] and Ham Hill, were later reoccupied in the Early Middle Ages. The measures are so called either from the occasional presence of a soft, sooty coal, which is known in Devon as culm, or from the contortions commonly found in the beds. [35], The oldest rocks which can be dated are those of the Devonian period which are approximately 395359million years old. [5] An alternative suggestion is the name derives from Seo-mere-saetan meaning "settlers by the sea lakes". Its economy is heavily orientated around the tourism and agriculture industries. 450-1100)-language text, Articles containing explicitly cited English-language text, Pages using infobox settlement with possible motto list, Articles with MusicBrainz area identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Bath and North East Somerset (Unitary Authority), Note: Volumes I to IX published so far **, Volume I: Natural History, Prehistory, Domesday. [61], The usefulness of the canals was short-lived, though some have now been restored for recreation. [13][14], The border with Cornwall was set by King thelstan on the east bank of the River Tamar in 936 AD. West Country cottages, West Country craft fairs shows and fetes. Caption - County Gate is the boundary between Somerset and Devon on the A39 between Porlock and Lynmouth. The green belt border intersects with the Mendip Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) along its south boundary, and meets the Cotswolds AONB by its eastern extent along the Wiltshire county border, creating an extended area protected from inappropriate development. Interactive map of Dorset. Map of English counties with Devon highlighted png format, Map of English counties with Devon highlighted jpg format, Royal Albert Memorial Museum and Art Gallery. The term Devonshire may have originated around the eighth century, when it changed from Dumnonia (Latin) to Defenasr.[11]. In the 2011 census the population of the Somerset County Council area was 571,600[87] Devon is a national hotspot for several species that are uncommon in Britain, including the cirl bunting; greater horseshoe bat; Bechstein's bat and Jersey tiger moth. Percentage of ethnically Irish persons is 0.4%. Somerset came under the political influence of several different nobles during the Middle Ages. Smaller outcrops of younger rocks also exist, such as Cretaceous chalk cliffs at Beer Head and gravels on Haldon, plus Eocene and Oligocene ball clay and lignite deposits in the Bovey Basin, formed around 50 million years ago under tropical forest conditions. Its economy is heavily orientated around the tourism and agriculture industries. A Google map of Devon showing the county borders and coast is shown below. Please be sure not to block any gateways. [71] [7][8][9], Somerset settlement names are mostly Anglo-Saxon in origin (for example, Bath, Somerton, Wells and Keynsham[10]), but numerous place names include British Celtic elements, such as the rivers Frome and Avon, and names of hills. 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. Devon's tin miners enjoyed a substantial degree of independence through Devon's Stannary Convocation, which dates back to the 12th century. The former main lines of the GWR are still in use today, although many of its branch lines were scrapped as part of the Beeching cuts. [47], The boundaries of Somerset are largely unaltered from medieval times. (PDF) Research Project Report [15], Devon was the home of a number of anticlerical movements in the Later Middle Ages. Learn how to create your own. [47] One, on the German radio navigation beam flight path to Bristol, was constructed on Beacon Batch. 1998 westcountrylinks.co.uk. [131], The Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts takes place most years in Pilton, near Shepton Mallet, attracting over 170,000 music and culture lovers from around the world to see world-famous entertainers. Unseen by many motorists who pass this way is the excellent view of the valley containing the East Lyn River. Use controls to get a detailed road map of Somerset and get handy town centre maps for its popular places. Chilton Cantelo School offers places both to day pupils and boarders aged 7 to 16. The Met Office, the UK's national and international weather service, moved to Exeter in 2003. [28] Several elements of the scheme have, or are in the process of being delivered including the building of Marsh Barton station on the edge of Exeter[29] and a regular half hourly local rail service now extended from the Exmouth to Exeter Branch onto Paignton. [95], Bridgwater was developed during the Industrial Revolution as the area's leading port. For other uses, see. A wide range of adult education and further education courses is available in Somerset, in schools, colleges and other community venues. [124] The unitary districts of North Somerset and Bath & North East Somerset are instead covered by the Avon Fire and Rescue Service, a service which also covers Bristol and South Gloucestershire. The European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development: Europe investing in rural areas has supported Visit South Devon CIC to develop online destination marketing, Visit South Devon Community Interest Company Ltd 2009 - 2023, Company Number 06891935. There is an extensive network of caves, including Wookey Hole, underground rivers, and gorges, including the Cheddar Gorge and Ebbor Gorge. Devon has a variety of festivals and traditional practices, including the traditional orchard-visiting Wassail in Whimple every 17 January, and the carrying of 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 on their backs. Parts of the historic county of Devon formed part of the diocese of Wessex, while nothing is known of the church organisation of the Celtic areas. [59], On 11 October 1926, the county council received a grant of arms from the College of Arms. The four district councils (Somerset West and Taunton, South Somerset, Mendip, and Sedgemoor) are to be abolished and their functions transferred to a single authority. [33] Since 1974 the county is ranked fourth by area (due to the creation of Cumbria) amongst ceremonial counties and is the third largest non-metropolitan county. Average rainfall is around 700mm (28in). Never explore without one! The Somerset Intelligence website provides data, information, intelligence and insight on Somerset and the many varied communities which comprise the county. The attractive lifestyle of the area is drawing in new industries which are not heavily dependent upon geographical location;[21][22] Dartmoor, for instance, has recently seen a significant rise in the percentage of its inhabitants involved in the digital and financial services sectors. There are two national parks in Devon. [125] The Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance is a charitable organisation based in the county. Its quarries also supplied a cement factory at Dunball, adjacent to the King's Sedgemoor Drain. This includes the delivery of Cranbrook station, plus four new stations (including Torquay Gateway) as a priority. Cargoes were then loaded onto smaller boats at Langport Quay, next to the Bridgwater Bridge, to be carried further up river to Langport;[96] or they could turn off at Burrowbridge and then travel via the River Tone to Taunton. A variety of Roman remains have been found, including Pagans Hill Roman temple in Chew Stoke,[25] Low Ham Roman Villa and the Roman Baths that gave their name to the city of Bath. [69][70][71] It has also been claimed that the pasty originated in Devon rather than Cornwall, with the first record of the pasty coming from Plymouth in 1509.[72]. The cute coastal town of Lyme Regis (nicknamed The Pearl of Dorset) is only a 30 minute drive away. MAPS FOR THE WEST COUNTRY WEST COUNTRY ACCOMMODATION COTTAGE HOLIDAYS Dorset, Somerset, Devon, Cornwall WEST COUNTRY CAMPING AND TOURING SITES West Country Businesses add your link : WEST COUNTRY PUBLIC HOUSES AND RESTAURANTS RESTAURANTS AND EATING PLACES PUBS AND CLUBS IN THE WEST COUNTRY The Bristol Channel has the second largest tidal range in the world. Syria News | Live Feed & Top Stories - NewsNow Border [112] Since the 1920s, the county has supplied aggregates. The Benedictine monastery Saint Gregory's Abbey, commonly known as Downside Abbey, is at Stratton-on-the-Fosse, and the ruins of the former Cistercian Cleeve Abbey are near the village of Washford. Whether you're with friends or family, you can all get back to a simpler way of life when you pitch your tent at Cloud Farm Campsite. Situated in the historic town of Bampton, within walking distance of shops, pubs, cafes and restaurants On the Devon/Somerset border, just a short drive from the beautiful Exmoor National Park and Wimbleball Lake Overview Need to know Property code: 77931 [46], Rising temperatures have led to Devon becoming the first place in modern Britain to cultivate olives commercially.[47]. The 10 best hotels in Wellington, Somerset - Cheap Wellington hotels The map below shows the counties of England with Devon highlighted: Readers are welcome to print or display the maps for non-commercial purposes. 34947 (2013/C) (ex 2013/N) United Kingdom Investment Contract (early Contract for Difference) for the Hinkley Point C New Nuclear Power Station", "Brussels backs Hinkley Point C as cost forecasts soar', "Hinkley Point: the 'dreadful deal' behind the world's most expensive power plant", "Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance Charity", "Primary, Secondary and Specialist Schools", "BDZ at the heart of two academic libraries", Victoria History of the Counties of England, "Link to on-line version (not all volumes)", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Somerset&oldid=1141493440, Counties of England established in antiquity, Wikipedia articles incorporating a citation from the 1911 Encyclopaedia Britannica with Wikisource reference, Short description is different from Wikidata, Wikipedia indefinitely move-protected pages, Articles containing Old English (ca. [74], The ceremonial county of Somerset currently consists of a two-tier non-metropolitan county, which is administered by Somerset County Council and four district councils, and two unitary authority areas (whose councils combine the functions of a county and a district). The area covers 336 square kilometres, 110 square kilometres of which is in Somerset. [69] Nineteenth-century canals included the Bridgwater & Taunton Canal, Westport Canal, Glastonbury Canal and Chard Canal. [165] It has several campuses and 5,500 students.[166]. [59] The county has many rivers, including the Axe, Brue, Cary, Parrett, Sheppey, Tone and Yeo. [24], On the authority of the future emperor Vespasian, as part of the ongoing expansion of the Roman presence in Britain, the Second Legion Augusta invaded Somerset from the south-east in 47CE. It too was reclaimed by draining. Once you have found your perfect holiday location use the drop downs at the top of the site to find out about the great attractions, places to stay, events or food and drink establishments on offer throughout the region, dont forget to add your favourites to your itinerary and start planning your South Devon escape today. At first, the abbey church of St Mary and St Peter, founded by Athelstan in 932 and rebuilt in 1019, served as the cathedral. Within the county, population density ranges 0.5 in West Somerset to 2.2persons per hectare in Taunton Deane. It lies on the south bank of the Bristol Channel, 21 miles (34 km) north-west of the county town of Taunton, 12 miles (19 km) from the border with the county of Devon and in proximity of the Exmoor National Park. Somerset | Landscape Tales 10 of the best pubs in north Devon and Exmoor