Tiverton

The largest town in Mid Devon, visit Tiverton for echoes of the past including a romantic castle, and horse-drawn barge trips on the idyllic Grand Western Canal.

Occupying a strategic position on two rivers, the Exe and the Lowman, brought Tiverton wealth as a flourishing textile town, resulting in many fine buildings. These include the Jacobean Great House of St. George, and the fantastic Parish Church of St. Peter with its remarkable frieze of merchant vessels with billowing sails.

Another famous building is Old Blundells, immortalised by former pupil R.D. Blackmore in his classic Lorna Doone. However, the town's most famous building is beautiful Tiverton Castle, a royal fortress commissioned in 1106 by Henry I. Find out more about Tiverton's rich heritage at award-winning Tiverton Museum of Mid Devon Life, with 14 galleries of exhibits including the Tivvy Bumper GWR locomotive.

Slightly further afield, Bickleigh Mill is one of Devon's largest rural shopping centres with a wide selection of tasteful gifts located in a historic working water mill. Here you will also find the Devon Railway Centre, a great family attraction where the admission fee allows unlimited narrow gauge train rides along the Exe valley.

On the outskirts of Tiverton lies the Grand Western Canal with an amazing 24 bridges along its 11-mile stretch. Built originally to transport lime, it is now a beauty spot with yellow flags and arrowhead, darting dragonflies, coots, mallards, and moorhens with pleasant walking along the towpath, or trips afloat on gaily painted barges drawn by magnificent shire horses, courtesy of the Tiverton Canal Co.

Tiverton has a great selection of interesting shops, while countless bargains can be found at the varied markets of the recently restored historic Pannier Market including a Farmer's Market on the third Wednesday of each month.

Events in Tiverton include the annual Mid Devon Show in July, and new for 2011, the Tiverton Hot Air Balloon Festival in May. For culture Ondaatje Hall holds a wide variety of productions in its well-designed hall, while a lively programme of events is also hosted by nearby Knightshayes Court (NT), an attractive Victorian mansion designed by flamboyant William Burges in the late 19th century.