The Axe Valley and East Devon.

The East Devon landscape is an unspoilt treat, the South West Coastal path from Exmouth to Lyme Regis gives walkers on clear bright days some of the most stunning views in England. Inland there are intimate wooded combes, vast areas of heathland, fertile river valleys and high hilltops with more outstanding views..

The Axe Valley with its picturesque scenery, on the border of Devon and Dorset holds charming Devon villages and towns which are just a few miles from the coast.

Colyton

Colyton is an historic medieval town nestling in the Axe Valley 3 miles from Seaton. The circular street arrangement, often refered to as a maze is typically Saxon and the narrow winding streets are lined with picturesque stone built houses.

St Andrews Church in the centre of the town dates back a thousand years from Norman Times, its unusual lantern tower was added in the 15th Centuary.

This and other improvements were financed by the proffits from the wool trade when Colyton was one of the three richest wool towns in Devon.

Colyton is the home of Britain's only remaining traditional oak bark tannery which has been a tannery since Roman times.

The Seaton Tramway runs to Colyton, with the terminus a few minutes walk from the town centre, there is a horse drawn waggon service which ferries those who would rather ride to and from town.

Colyton quarterly Country Market is now established as one of the biggest outdoor local food markets in the South West.

visit the Colyton web site on www.colyton.co.uk

Colyford

The Lord of the Manor of Colyton obtained a grant from King John for a fair at Colyford in 1207. This was for a 7 day fair at Michaelmas and is celebrated once more by the revival of the Goose Fayre which is still held on the Saturday nearest to Michaelmas.

The medieval town of Colyford was was awarded Borough status in 1230 and established on the road from Dorchester to Exeter where it forded the River Coly.

The Borough flourished for 300 years, with traders and merchants establishing their businesses in the borough free from all manorial duties. The deep-water Axe estuary allowed sea-going vessels to berth at quays as far up as Colyford.

There is a Seaton Tramway stop at Colyford by the White Hart Inn allowing visitors to visit the Vintage Car Museum and the Wheelwright Inn which has been awarded the Great British Pub Award for 'Best Food Pub in the South West.

visit the Colyford web site on www.colyfordvillage.co.uk

Axmouth

Axmouth is a pretty village 1 mile from the estuary mouth of the River Axe.

There are the remains of an Iron Age hill fort on Hawksdown hill above Axmouth indicating that the area has been a settlement for thousands of years. Later the Romans built a settlement at Axmouth (Alaeni Ostia) taking advantage of what was then a natural harbour and Axmouth became one of the most busy ports on the South West coast and by the 16th century Axmouth accounted for 15% of Devon’s harbour trade.

The Silting up of the estuary stopped the passage of shipping up the river leaving the village as it is today.

Once rumored to have 14 inns, it now has only two. The Harbour Inn which claims to have been an Inn since 1150 and the Ship Inn. The Ship has been rebuilt after a fire on Christmas day, 1879 burnt down the original building.

Axmouth's history as a prosperous trading port can be seen in its 18th and 19th century farm houses, its Norman church, quaint cottages and two fine houses, dating from the 15th and 17th centuries.

Axminster

The town dates back to the Celtic times of around 300 BC. It lies on two major Roman roads: the Fosse Way from Lincoln to Seaton, and the Dorchester–Exeter road. There was a Roman fort on the crossroads at Woodbury Farm, just south of the present town.

Classed as a market town, Axminster still holds a weekly market every Thursday in Trinity Square.

The history of the town is very much linked to the carpet industry, started by Thomas Whitty at Court House near the church in 1755. The completion of the early hand tufted carpets was marked by a peal of bells from the parish church as it took a great amount of time and labour to complete them.

Axminster gave its name to a type of carpet. An Axminster-type power loom is capable of weaving high quality carpets with many varying colours and patterns. While Axminster carpet is made in the town of Axminster, this type of carpet is now manufactured all over the world.

The celebrity chef and TV presenter Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall has his River Cottage H.Q. farm nearby in the Axe valley. He has recently converted an old inn of the town into the River Cottage Local Produce Store and Canteen. It is open 7 days a week and can be found in the centre of Axminster on Trinity Square.

Honiton

The historic town of Honiton became known as a centre for the cloth trade in medieval times and later earned a world famous reputation for lace making. The town became a busy coaching top on the road from Exeter to London. Now a major centre for the antiques trade, there are over 30 shops devoted to furniture, art and second hand books

visit the Honiton web site on www.honiton.gov.uk

Ottery St Mary

Ottery St Mary is one of the oldest and most historic towns in East Devon. The medieval church of St Mary set on a hill above the town has been voted amongst the 20 finest churches in England. Ottery's most famous son, the romantic poet, Samuel Taylor Coleridge 1772 - 1834 was born in the college opposite St Mary’s church.

visit the Ottery web site on www.otterytourism.org.uk

Sidmouth

Before 1800 Sidmouth was a small fishing village with a population of 1200 clustered in tiny cottages near the beach. In Regency times, the Nobility and members of London Society built fine houses in Sidmouth. Many still exist, while others have become hotels without losing their Regency charm. The Sidmouth folk festival each August is one of the biggest in Europe and fills the town with folk musicians and street entertainers.

visit the Sidmouth web site on www.sidmouth.gov.uk

Budleigh Salterton

Budleigh Salterton lies 17 miles to the east of Seaton at the foot of the Otter Valley where the River Otter flows into the sea. Budleigh's gently sloping High Street leads down to the Parade and it's 2 mile long pebble beach.

visit the Budleigh web site on www.visitbudleigh.com

Exmouth

Exmouth is one of England's oldest holiday resorts yet still has the feel of a small Devon town. Exmouth's 2 mile long sandy beach and Promenade are popular with tourists throughout the summer months. The Exmouth Local Nature Reserve is one of the biggest in England and is visited by thousands of migratory wildfowl and birds during the winter months.

visit the Exmouth web site on www.exmouth-guide.co.uk

Areas of Natural Beauty

The Blackdown Hills form a tranquil, beautiful, and relatively isolated landscape on the Devon and Somerset border. Steep ridges, high plateaux, valleys and springs create a stunning mosaic of countryside dotted with farms, villages and ancient features.www.blackdownhillsaonb.org.uk

East Devon District Council

The web site of East Devon District Council gives comprehensive information useful to both residents and visitors. www.eastdevon.gov.uk

Visit Devon

VisitDevon provides visitor and tourist information, providing online booking for accommodation, travel and activities www.visitdevon.co.uk

Devon County Council

Devon County Council web site provides county wide information. www.devon.gov.uk

East Devon

East Devon District is an area of 314 square miles. It sits between the River Exe and outskirts of Exeter to the west, Somerset (inland) and Dorset to the east. At the extremes, the District stretches 30 miles east to west and 15 miles north to south.

Exeter International Airport is located in East Devon and main line rail services and the national motorway network are easily accessible. East Devon is the largest of the eight Devon districts with a population of 125,522). There are 68 town or parish councils across the whole district.

The main towns are the coastal resorts of Exmouth, Budleigh Salterton; Sidmouth; and Seaton. In the mainly rural inland area the settlements are Honiton; Ottery St Mary; Axminster and Broadclyst. A new community called Cranbrook is also planned in the west of the district.

The coastline forms part of England’s first and only World Heritage site designated for its natural environment. Cliffs of red sandstone and white chalk, some 400 feet (120 metres) high along most of the seacoast, and the hilly wooded area immediately inland (especially to the east) constitute an area of outstanding beauty..

The East Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty lies wholly within the District, together with the greater part of the Blackdown Hills AONB.

East Devon is historically known for its handmade lace and carpet-making industries in the eastern interior market towns of Honiton and Axminster. High-quality limestone has been quarried near the coastal village of Beer for centuries; it was used for the finer carvings and pillars in many of Devon’s medieval, Tudor, and Jacobean buildings.

Modern East Devon is also known for its popular seaside resorts, Exmouth, Budleigh Salterton, Sidmouth and Seaton, and for its intensively cultivated fruits (particularly apples) and early-season vegetables grown on the fertile red soils of the lower Exer, Clyst, and Otter river valleys in the western part of the district. Dairying is also economically important.

The last 60 years have seen many dramatic changes within the English countryside, with increasing urbanisation and shifting patterns of agriculture. East Devon has faired better than most, however, being protected by its remoteness and undulating terrain.

The area around Seaton is rich in wildlife. The agricultural landscape supports areas of ancient woodland (often with impressive displays of bluebells), important networks of hedges, unimproved grassland and springline mires.

Around Beer there are still remnants of flower-rich chalk grassland, a rare habitat in Devon. The Axe Estuary dominates the centre of the area, with its associated areas of grazing marsh, and the River Axe itself is of international importance for its aquatic communities. To the east lies the Axmouth to Lyme Regis Undercliffs National Nature Reserve. This large area of coastal landslides and cliffs supports important woodland and grassland habitats and is of considerable significance for its geology, as witnessed by its inclusion in the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site.

These habitats support a wide range of species. For example, otters are present on the River Axe, and dormice are present throughout the area. To the west, near Beer, are man-made caves of importance for a diversity of hibernating bats, including the very rare Bechstein’s bat. The Axe Estuary and its marshes are important for wintering wildfowl and waders, such as curlew and redshank, while in the summer butterflies and dragonflies abound.