If you’ve spent lockdown watching game shows and brushing up on your knowledge, then make sure to read this! Here we’ll tell you some of our favourite facts about Devon, including the fact that oldest recipe for Cornish Pasties appears to be from Devon…
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- Devon is home to the only 16 sided house in the UK – you’ll find it in Exmouth and it is now a National Trust Property.
- Devon was a strategic base during England’s civil war – Oliver Cromwell used Totnes’ Guildhall as his base as he planned the closing stages. In fact, quite a few places in Devon featured in the Civil War.
- St Paul’s Cathedral and Westminster Abbey were created in Devon – literally, they’re created out of stone that was quarried in Beer.
- England’s last ever castle was built in Devon – Castle Drogo, its near Drewsteignton and is now a National Trust property.
- Think Salem is the only place in the world to have witches? Well actually Dartmoor is full of myths and legends about witches and the last ‘witch’ to be executed in the UK happened in Devon – in Exeter to be exact. The women who were accused of witchcraft were called Temperance Lloyd, Susannah Edwards, Mary Trembles and Alice Molland.
- Devon has the narrowed street in the world – Parliament Street in Exeter measures at 0.64 meters wide! So, no trying to get your Christmas shopping down there.
Image: @3rdimage_ianbateman on Instagram - The official flag of Devon was implemented in 2003 after the design won a competition hosted by the BBC.
- There is a house in Combe Martin that is inspired by a pack of cards.
- Devon based author Charles Kingsley inspired the name of Westward Ho! Not only is it currently the only place in the UK with an ! in the name, but the name itself came from one of his novels.
- Many of the UK’s most famous pirates were from Devon – you can find out more about them in the museums at Appledore and Plymouth.
- There is a stone in Totnes that supposedly marks the spot where Brutus, a Trojan Prince alighted his boat. The stone is called the Brutus Stone and can be found at Fore Street.
- Queen Victoria very nearly didn’t survive infancy while visiting Devon. Her family lived in Sidmouth for a time and while she was still a toddler, someone tried to shoot her through her nursery window!