Sidmouth isn’t just a pretty face with a pebbled beach and pastel-painted hotels—it’s a place steeped in stories, from royal holidays to smuggling shenanigans. So grab a deckchair (or a Devon cream tea) and dive into these ten intriguing nuggets from Sidmouth’s seaside past. 1. The Queen Mother Was…
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On Thursday 8 May, the nation will come together to commemorate the end of the Second World War in Europe. The 80th anniversary of VE Day is a time for a nation to come together to learn about the stories of those that served, from the servicemen who fought, to children who were evacuated, and women…
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Valentine’s Day might be over but in Ottery, birthplace of one of Britain’s best loved romantic poets, the romance never ends. Another thing you’ll find in droves is references to the region’s literary connections, Ottery St Mary inspired the Weasley’s home in Harry Potter after all! As World Book…
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Raleigh Country is the name given to the area spreading from the Exe Estuary out towards Sidmouth and encompassing the town of Budleigh Salterton. The name comes from the privateer Sir Walter Raleigh, who was born in the East Budleigh area in 1552. Despite the similar name, East Budleigh is a small…
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2025 marks the 250 th anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth and though she is most often associated with Hampshire and Bath, did you know she fell in love in Sidmouth? And not just with the town. This year, why not do the same and have your own love story right here in Sidmouth? Full of Regency romance…
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22 nd November 2024 marks the bicentennial anniversary of the Great Storm of 1824, which helped form the beach at Budleigh Salterton and caused a huge amount of damage across the Jurassic Coast. The Great Storm of 1824, also known as the Great Gale, was a storm surge with hurricane-force winds that…
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It wasn’t just dinosaurs roaming around East Devon thousands of years ago – all manner of interesting creatures that no longer live in Britain called the Jurassic Coast and its surrounding areas home – including hippos! Yes, you read that right, hippos once lived in Britain. They lived in various…
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On Thursday, June 6, the nation will come together to remember the tens of thousands of allied forces who gave service on D-Day eighty years ago and helped secure peace after the Second World War. Across the United Kingdom, Europe and the world, commemorations will be taking place to mark the 80 th…
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As one of the oldest parishes in Devon, there is a diverse history to uncover in Ottery St Mary and that’s not all. Just how well do you know the town? Here’s some trivia to amaze your friends and family next time you visit. Ottery St Mary is the birthplace of the poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge, who…
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If you’re a history buff, you’ll love spending time in East Devon – aside from the Jurassic Coast itself which dates back millions of years, there are also Iron Age forts, Roman roads and a host of other interesting figures and stories. There has been a settlement at Ottery St Mary for centuries…
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