Sandy beaches, rolling hills, dramatic views, plenty of things to do, popular events, choice of accommodation… East Devon is arguably one of the most beautiful and fascinating areas of Devon, which is why we’re shining a spotlight on this often-overlooked region with these fun facts.

  1. East Devon is home to the Jurassic Coast, the UK’s first natural World Heritage Site. It begins in Exmouth, a town in East Devon and then continues for 95 miles into neighbouring Dorset.
  2. Though it is called the Jurassic Coast, it actually covers several different eras, a walk around East Devon’s coast will see you pass through the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous periods.
  3. Historically, East Devon is best known for its lace and carpet making.
  4. In fact, the lace from East Devon was so sought after at one point that, lace from the town of Honiton was used to make Queen Victoria’s wedding dress!
  5. Speaking of Queen Victoria… she was an East Devon resident in her infancy. She lived in Sidmouth and it was here that she became one step closer to the throne. The home she lived in with her parents is now a hotel, so you too can live like royalty!
  6. In the East Devon town of Ottery St Mary, the residents come together every year to celebrate Pixie Day, a day when local children re-enact the banishing of pixies
  7. The East Devon village of Beer is home to a series of caves where Beer stone has been quarried for hundreds of years. The stone was used to make St Paul’s Cathedral in London.
  8. The majority of East Devon falls within the East Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
  9. The region is actually home to two different AONBs, the East Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the Blackdown Hills.
  10.  East Devon is famous for Axminster Carpets, which were designed in a similar manner to Turkish carpets.
  11.  The Jurassic Coast is pretty to look at now but once it was a known smuggler spot, particularly in Beer
  12.  The name Beer doesn’t come from the drink either, it is an old Anglo Saxon word. Beer was originally surrounded by woodland and Beer is a word that relates to this.
  13. When Henry VIII married his sixth wife, Catherine Parr, a manor house in Beer was included in the marriage contract
  14.  The town of Exmouth, which is where the Jurassic Coast begins, has the longest seafront in Devon and stretches along 2 miles
  15.  Ottery St Mary is one of the oldest towns in the county and is one of the few places that still holds the West Country tradition of Tar Barrel Rolling.

 

Find out more about East Devon here.