Devon

Devon(/ˈdɛvən/DEV-ən; historically also known asDevonshire/-ʃɪər,-ʃər/-⁠sheer,-⁠shər) is aceremonial countyinSouth West England. It is bordered by theBristol Channelto the north,SomersetandDorsetto the east, theEnglish Channelto the south, andCornwallto the west. The city ofPlymouthis the largest settlement, and the city ofExeteris thecounty town.
The county has an area of 2,590 sq mi (6,700 km) and a population of 1,194,166. The largest settlements after Plymouth (264,695) are the city of Exeter (130,709) and theseaside resortsofTorquayandPaignton, which have a combined population of 115,410.They all are located along the south coast, which is the most populous part of the county;Barnstaple(31,275) andTiverton(22,291) are the largest towns in the north and centre respectively. For local government purposes Devon comprises anon-metropolitan county, with eight districts, and twounitary authorityareas:PlymouthandTorbay.
Devon has a varied geography. It containsDartmoorand part ofExmoor, two upland moors which are the source of most of the county's rivers, including theTaw,Dart, andExe. The longest river in the county is theTamar, which forms most of the border with Cornwall and rises in Devon's northwest hills. The southeast coast is part of theJurassic CoastWorld Heritage Site, and characterised by tall cliffs which reveal theTriassic,JurassicandCretaceousgeology of the region. The county gives its name to theDevoniangeologic period, which includes the slates and sandstones of the north coast. Dartmoor and Exmoor have been designatednational parks, and the county also contains, in whole or in part, fivenational landscapes.
In theIron Age,Romanand theSub-Romanperiods, the county was the home of theDumnoniiCeltic Britons. TheAnglo-Saxon settlement of Britainresulted in the partial assimilation of Dumnonia into the kingdom ofWessexin the eighth and ninth centuries, and the western boundary with Cornwall was set at the Tamar by kingÆthelstanin 936.
The nameDevonderives from the name of theBrythonswho inhabited the southwestern peninsula of Britain at the time of theRoman conquest of Britainknown as theDumnonii, thought to mean 'deep valley dwellers' fromProto-Celtic*dubnos'deep'. In theBrittonic languages, Devon is known asWelsh:Dyfnaint,Breton:DevnentandCornish:Dewnens, each meaning 'deep valleys'. (For an account of CelticDumnonia, see the separate article.) Among the most common Devon placenames is-combewhich derives from Brittoniccwmmeaning 'valley' usually prefixed by the name of the possessor.
William Camden, in his 1607 edition ofBritannia, described Devon as being one part of an older, wider country that once includedCornwall:
The termDevonis normally used for everyday purposes (e.g., "Devon County Council"), butDevonshirehas continued to be used in the names of the "Devonshire and Dorset Regiment" (until 2007) and "The Devonshire Association". One erroneous theory is that theshiresuffix is due to a mistake in the making of the original letters patent for theDuke of Devonshire, resident inDerbyshire. There are references to bothDefnasandDefenasċīreinAnglo-Saxontexts from before 1000 CE (the former is a name for the "people of Devon" and the latter would mean 'Shire of the Devonians'),which translates to modern English asDevonshire. The term Devonshire may have originated around the 8th century, when it changed fromDumnonia(Latin) toDefenasċīr.
Kents CaverninTorquayhad produced human remains from 30 to 40,000 years ago.Dartmooris thought to have been occupied byMesolithichunter-gathererpeoples from about 6000 BC. The Romans held the area under military occupation for around 350 years. Later, the area began to experience Saxon incursions from the east around 600 AD, firstly as small bands of settlers along the coasts ofLyme Bayand southern estuaries and later as more organised bands pushing in from the east. Devon became a frontier betweenBrittonicandAnglo-SaxonWessex, and it was largely absorbed into Wessex by the mid ninth century.
A genetic study carried out by theUniversity of OxfordandUniversity College Londondiscovered separate genetic groups in Cornwall and Devon. Not only were there differences on either side of the River Tamar—-with a division almost exactly following the modern county boundary,but also between Devon and the rest of Southern England. Devon's population also exhibited similarities with modern northern France, includingBrittany. This suggests the Anglo-Saxon migration into Devon was limited, rather than a mass movement of people.
The border with Cornwall was set by KingÆthelstanon the east bank of theRiver Tamarin 936 AD. Danish raids also occurred sporadically along many coastal parts of Devon between around 800AD and just before the time of the Norman conquest, including the silver mint atHlidafordaLydfordin 997 and Taintona (a settlement on theTeignestuary) in 1001.
Devon was the home of a number ofanticlericalmovements in theLater Middle Ages. For example, theOrder of Brothelyngham—a fakemonastic orderof 1348
— regularly rode through Exeter, kidnapping both religious men and laymen, and extorting money from them as ransom.
Devon has also featured in most of the civil conflicts in England since theNorman conquest, including theWars of the Roses,Perkin Warbeck's rising in 1497, thePrayer Book Rebellionof 1549, and theEnglish Civil War. The arrival ofWilliam of Orangeto launch theGlorious Revolutionof 1688 took place atBrixham.
Devon has producedtin, copper and other metals from ancient times. Devon's tin miners enjoyed a substantial degree of independence throughDevon's Stannary Convocation, which dates back to the 12th century. The last recorded sitting was in 1748.
Devon straddlesa peninsulaand so, uniquely among English counties, has two separate coastlines: on the Bristol Channel andCeltic Seain the north, and on the English Channel in the south.The South West Coast Path runs along the entire length of both, around 65% of which is named asHeritage Coast. Before the changes to English counties in 1974, Devon was thethird largest countyby area and the largest of the counties not divided into county-like divisions (only Yorkshire and Lincolnshire were larger and both were sub-divided into ridings or parts, respectively).Since 1974 the county is ranked fourth by area (due to the creation of Cumbria)amongst ceremonial countiesand is thethird largest non-metropolitan county. The island ofLundyand the reef ofEddystoneare also in Devon. The county has more mileage of road than any other county in England.
Inland, the DartmoorNational parklies wholly in Devon, and the Exmoor National Park lies in both Devon and Somerset. Apart from these areas of high moorland the county has attractive rolling rural scenery and villages withthatchedcobcottages. All these features make Devon a popularholidaydestination.
InSouth Devonthe landscape consists of rolling hills dotted with small towns, such asDartmouth,Ivybridge,Kingsbridge,Salcombe, andTotnes. The towns ofTorquayandPaigntonare the principal seaside resorts on the south coast. East Devon has the first seaside resort to be developed in the county,Exmouthand the more upmarket Georgian town ofSidmouth, headquarters of the East Devon District Council. Exmouth marks the western end of the Jurassic CoastWorld Heritage Site. Another notable feature is thecoastal railway linebetween Newton Abbot and the Exe Estuary: the red sandstone cliffs and sea views are very dramatic and in the resorts railway line and beaches are very near.
North Devon is very rural with few major towns exceptBarnstaple,Great Torrington,BidefordandIlfracombe. Devon's Exmoor coast has the highest cliffs in southern Britain, culminating in theGreat Hangman, a 318 m (1,043 ft) "hog's-back" hill with a 250 m (820 ft) cliff-face, located near Combe Martin Bay.Its sister cliff is the 218 m (715 ft) Little Hangman, which marks the western edge of coastal Exmoor. One of the features of the North Devon coast is thatBideford Bayand theHartland Pointpeninsula are both west-facing, Atlantic facing coastlines; so that a combination of an off-shore (east) wind and an Atlantic swell produce excellent surfing conditions. The beaches of Bideford Bay (Woolacombe,Saunton,Westward Ho!andCroyde), along with parts of North Cornwall and South Wales, are the main centres of surfing in Britain.
A geological dividing line cuts across Devon roughly along the line of theBristol to Exeter lineand theM5 motorwayeast of Tiverton and Exeter. It is a part of theTees–Exe linebroadly dividing Britain into a southeastern lowland zone typified by gently dippingsedimentary rocksand a northwestern upland zone typified byigneous rocksand folded sedimentary andmetamorphic rocks.
The principal geological components of Devon are i) theDevonianstrataof north Devon and south west Devon (and extending into Cornwall); ii) theCulm Measures(north western Devon also extending into north Cornwall); and iii) the graniteintrusionof Dartmoor in central Devon, part of theCornubian batholithforming the 'spine' of the southwestern peninsula. There areblocksof Silurian and Ordovician rocks within Devonian strata on the south Devon coast but otherwise no pre-Devonian rocks on the Devon mainland. The metamorphic rocks of Eddystone are of presumed Precambrian age.
The oldest rocks which can be dated are those of the Devonian period which are approximately 395–359 million years old. Sandstones and shales were deposited in North and South Devon beneath tropical seas. In shallower waters, limestone beds were laid down in the area now near Torquay and Plymouth.This geological period was named after Devon byRoderick MurchisonandAdam Sedgwickin the 1840s and is the only British county whose name is used worldwide as the basis for a geological time period.
Devon's second major rock systemis the Culm Measures, a geological formation of theCarboniferousperiod that occurs principally in Devon and Cornwall. The measures are so called either from the occasional presence of a soft, sooty coal, which is known in Devon asculm, or from the contortions commonly found in the beds.This formation stretches from Bideford toBudein Cornwall, and contributes to a gentler, greener, more rounded landscape. It is also found on the western, north and eastern borders of Dartmoor.
The sedimentary rocks in more eastern parts of the county includePermianandTriassicsandstones (giving rise to east Devon's well known fertile red soils);Bunter pebble bedsaround Budleigh Salterton and Woodbury Common andJurassicrocks in the easternmost parts of Devon. Smaller outcrops of younger rocks also exist, such as Cretaceouschalkcliffs at Beer Head and gravels on Haldon, plusEoceneandOligoceneball clayandlignitedeposits in the Bovey Basin, formed around 50 million years ago under tropical forest conditions.
Devon generally has a cool oceanic climate, heavily influenced by theNorth Atlantic Drift. In winter, snow is relatively uncommon away from high land, although there are few exceptions. The county has mild summers with occasional warm spells and cool rainy periods. Winters are generally cool and the county often experiences some of the mildest winters in the world for its high latitude, with average daily maximum temperatures in January at 8 °C (46 °F). Rainfall varies significantly across the county, ranging from over 2,000 mm (79 in) on parts of Dartmoor, to around 750 mm (30 in) in therain shadowalong the coast in southeastern Devon and around Exeter. Sunshine amounts also vary widely: the moors are generally cloudy, but the SE coast from Salcombe to Exmouth is one of the sunniest parts of the UK (a generally cloudy region). With westerly or south-westerly winds and high pressure the area around Torbay and Teignmouth will often be warm, with long sunny spells due to shelter by high ground (Foehn wind).
The variety of habitats means that there is a wide range of wildlife (seeDartmoor wildlife, for example). A popular challenge amongbirdersis to find over 100 species in the county in a day.The county's wildlife is protected by several wildlife charities such as theDevon Wildlife Trust, which looks after 40 nature reserves. The Devon Bird Watching and Preservation Society (founded in 1928 and known since 2005 as "Devon Birds") is a county bird society dedicated to the study and conservation of wild birds.TheRSPBhas reserves in the county, andNatural Englandis responsible for over 200 DevonSites of Special Scientific InterestandNational Nature Reserves,such asSlapton Ley. TheDevon Bat Groupwas founded in 1984 to help conserve bats. Wildlife found in this area extend to a plethora of different kinds of insects, butterflies and moths; an interesting butterfly to take look at is thechequered skipper.
Devon is a national hotspot for several species that are uncommon in Britain, including thecirl bunting;greater horseshoe bat;Bechstein's batandJersey tiger moth. It is also the only place in mainland Britain where the sand crocus (Romulea columnae) can be found – at Dawlish Warren, and is home to all six British native land reptile species, partly as a result of some reintroductions. Another recent reintroduction is theEurasian beaver, primarily on the river Otter. Other rare species recorded in Devon include seahorses and the sea daffodil.
The botany of the county is very diverse and includes some rare species not found elsewhere in the British Isles other than Cornwall. Devon is divided into twoWatsonian vice-counties: north and south, the boundary being an irregular line approximately across the higher part of Dartmoor and then along the canal eastwards. Botanical reports begin in the 17th century and there is aFlora Devoniensisby Jones and Kingston in 1829.A general account appeared inThe Victoria History of the County of Devon(1906), and aFlora of Devonwas published in 1939 byKeble Martinand Fraser.AnAtlas of the Devon Floraby Ivimey-Cook appeared in 1984, andA New Flora of Devon, based on field work undertaken between 2005 and 2014, was published in 2016.Rising temperatures have led to Devon becoming the first place in modern Britain to cultivate olives commercially.
In January 2024, plans were announced to plant over 100,000 trees in northern Devon to supportCeltic rainforests, which are cherished yet at risk ecosystems in the UK. The project aims to create 50 hectares of new rainforest across three sites, planting trees near existing rainforest areas along the coast and inland. Among the tree species to be planted is the rareDevon whitebeam, known for its unique reproduction method and once-popular fruit. Led by theNational Trustand with the assistance of volunteers and community groups, the initiative will focus on locations inExmoor,Woolacombe,Hartland, andArlington Court.
The administrative centre and capital of Devon is the city of Exeter. The largest city in Devon, Plymouth, and the conurbation ofTorbay(which includes the largest town in Devon and capital of Torbay, Torquay, as well as Paignton and Brixham) have beenunitary authoritiessince 1998, separate from the remainder of Devon which is administered byDevon County Councilfor the purposes of local government.
Devon County Council is controlled by the Conservatives, and the political representation of its 60 councillors are: 38Conservatives, 10Liberal Democrats, sixLabour, threeIndependents, twoGreenand one South Devon Alliance.
At the2024 general election, Devon returned six Liberal Democrats, four Conservatives and three Labour MPs to theHouse of Commons.
Historically Devon was divided into 32hundreds:Axminster,Bampton,Black Torrington,Braunton,Cliston,Coleridge,Colyton,Crediton,East Budleigh,Ermington,Exminster,Fremington,Halberton,Hartland,Hayridge,Haytor,Hemyock,Lifton,North Tawton and Winkleigh,Ottery,Plympton,Roborough,Shebbear,Shirwell,South Molton,Stanborough,Tavistock,Teignbridge,Tiverton,West Budleigh,Witheridge, andWonford.
A devolution deal was approved by both Devon County Council and Torbay Council to create aCombined County Authoritywith various powers such as transport, housing, skills, and support for business devolved from the UK Government.TheDevon and Torbay Combined County Authority(DTCCA) formed in February 2025.
The main settlements in Devon are the cities of Plymouth, a historic port now administratively independent, Exeter, thecounty town, andTorbay, the county's tourist centre. Devon's coast is lined with tourist resorts, many of which grew rapidly with the arrival of the railways in the 19th century. Examples include Dawlish,Exmouthand Sidmouth on the south coast, andIlfracombeandLynmouthon the north. The Torbay conurbation of Torquay, Paignton and Brixham on the south coast is now administratively independent of the county. Ruralmarket townsin the county include Barnstaple, Bideford,Honiton,Newton Abbot,Okehampton,Tavistock, Totnes andTiverton.
The boundary with Cornwall has not always been on the River Tamar as at present: until the late 19th century a few parishes in the Torpoint area were in Devon and five parishes now in north-east Cornwall were in Devon until 1974 (however, for ecclesiastical purposes these were nevertheless in theArchdeaconry of Cornwalland in 1876 became part of theDiocese of Truro).
The region of Devon was the dominion of the pre-Roman DumnoniiCeltic tribe, known as the "Deep Valley Dwellers". The region to the west of Exeter was less Romanised than the rest of Roman Britain since it was considered a remote part of the province. After the formal Roman withdrawal from Britain in AD 410, one of the leading Dumnonii families attempted to create a dynasty and rule over Devon as the new Kings of Dumnonii.
Celtic paganismandRoman practiceswere the first known religions in Devon, although in the mid-fourth century AD, Christianity was introduced to Devon.In theSub-Roman periodthe church in theBritish Isleswas characterised by some differences in practice from theLatin Christianityof the continent of Europe and is known asCeltic Christianity;however it was always in communion with the widerRoman Catholic Church. ManyCornish saintsare commemorated also in Devon in legends, churches and place-names.Western Christianitycame to Devon when it was over a long period incorporated into thekingdom of Wessexand the jurisdiction of the bishop of Wessex.Saint Petrocis said to have passed through Devon, where ancient dedications to him are even more numerous than in Cornwall: a probable seventeen (plusTimberscombejust over the border in Somerset), compared to Cornwall's five. The position of churches bearing his name, including one within the old Roman walls of Exeter, are nearly always near the coast, as in those days travelling was done mainly by sea. The Devonian villages ofPetrockstoweandNewton St Petrocare also named after Saint Petroc and theflag of Devonis dedicated to him.
The history of Christianity in the South West of England remains to some degree obscure. Parts of the historic county of Devon formed part of the diocese of Wessex, while nothing is known of the church organisation of the Celtic areas. About 703 Devon and Cornwall were included in the separate diocese of Sherborne and in 900 this was again divided into two, the Devon bishop having from 905 his seat at Tawton (nowBishop's Tawton) and from 912 atCrediton, birthplace of St Boniface.LyfingbecameBishop of Creditonin 1027 and shortly afterwards becameBishop of Cornwall.
The two dioceses of Crediton and Cornwall, covering Devon and Cornwall, were united underEdward the Confessorby Lyfing's successorBishop Leofric, hitherto Bishop of Crediton, who became first Bishop of Exeter under Edward the Confessor, which was established as his cathedral city in 1050. At first, the abbey church of St Mary and St Peter, founded by Athelstan in 932 and rebuilt in 1019, served as the cathedral.
Devon came under the political influence of several different nobles during the Middle Ages, especially the CourtenaysEarl of Devon. During the Wars of the Roses, important magnates included the Earl of Devon,William Bonville, 1st Baron Bonville, andHumphrey Stafford, earl of Devonwhose wider influence stretched from Cornwall to Wiltshire. After 1485, one of the county's influential figures included Henry VII's courtierRobert Willoughby, 1st Baron Willoughby de Broke.
In 1549, thePrayer Book Rebellioncaused the deaths of thousands of people from Devon and Cornwall. During theEnglish Reformation, churches in Devon officially became affiliated with theChurch of England. From the late sixteenth century onwards, zealous Protestantism – or 'puritanism' – became increasingly well-entrenched in some parts of Devon, while other districts of the county remained much more conservative. These divisions would become starkly apparent during the English Civil War of 1642–46, when the county split apart along religious and cultural lines.TheMethodismofJohn Wesleyproved to be very popular with the working classes in Devon in the 19th century. Methodist chapels became important social centres, with male voice choirs and other church-affiliated groups playing a central role in the social lives of working class Devonians. Methodism still plays a large part in the religious life of Devon today, although the county has shared in the post-World War II decline in British religious feeling.
TheDiocese of Exeterremains the Anglican diocese including the whole of Devon. TheRoman Catholic Diocese of Plymouthwas established in the mid 19th century.
There was no establishedcoat of armsfor the county until 1926: the arms of the City of Exeter were often used to represent Devon, for instance in the badge of theDevonshire Regiment. During the forming of a county council by theLocal Government Act 1888adoption of a common seal was required. The seal contained three shields depicting the arms of Exeter along with those of the first chairman and vice-chairman of the council (Lord Clintonand theEarl of Morley).
On 11 October 1926, the county council received a grant of arms from theCollege of Arms. The main part of the shield displays a red crowned lion on a silver field, the arms ofRichard Plantagenet, Earl of Cornwall. Thechiefor upper portion of the shield depicts an ancient ship on wavers, for Devon's seafaring traditions. The Latin motto adopted wasAuxilio Divino(by Divine aid), that of SirFrancis Drake. The 1926 grant was of arms alone. On 6 March 1962 a further grant of crest and supporters was obtained. The crest is the head of aDartmoor Ponyrising from a "Naval Crown". This distinctive form of crown is formed from the sails and sterns of ships, and is associated with theRoyal Navy. The supporters are aDevon bulland a sea lion.
Devon County Council adopted a "ship silhouette" logo after the 1974 reorganisation, adapted from the ship emblem on the coat of arms, but following the loss in 1998 of Plymouth and Torbay re-adopted the coat of arms. In April 2006 the council unveiled a new logo which was to be used in most everyday applications, though the coat of arms will continue to be used for "various civic purposes".
Devon also has its own flag which has been dedicated to Saint Petroc, a localsaintwith dedications throughout Devon and neighbouring counties. The flag was adopted in 2003 after a competition run byBBC Radio Devon.The winning design was created by website contributor Ryan Sealey, and won 49% of the votes cast. The colours of the flag are those popularly identified with Devon, for example, the colours of theUniversity of Exeter, therugby unionteam, and the Green and White flag flown by the firstViscount Exmouthat theBombardment of Algiers(now on view at the Teign Valley Museum), as well as one of the county'sfootballteams,Plymouth Argyle. On 17 October 2006, the flag was hoisted for the first time outside County Hall in Exeter to mark Local Democracy Week, receiving official recognition from the county council.In 2019Devon County Councilwith the support of both the Anglican and Catholic churches in Exeter and Plymouth, officially recognised Saint Boniface as the Patron Saint of Devon.
Devon's toponyms include many with the endings "coombe/combe" and "tor". Both 'coombe' (valley or hollow, cf. Welshcwm, Cornishkomm) and 'tor' (Old Welshtwrrand Scots Gaelictòrrfrom Latinturris; 'tower' used for granite formations) are rareCeltic loanwords in Englishand their frequency is greatest in Devon which shares a boundary with historicallyBrittonicspeaking Cornwall. Ruined medieval settlements ofDartmoor longhousesindicate that dispersed rural settlement (OEtun, now often -ton) was very similar to that found in Cornish 'tre-' settlements, however these are generally described with the local placename-(a)cott, from the Old English for homestead, cf.cottage. Saxon endings in -worthy (from Anglo-Saxonworthig) indicate larger settlements. Several 'Bere's indicate Anglo-Saxon wood groves, as 'leighs' indicate clearings.
Devon has a variety of festivals and traditional practices, including the traditional orchard-visitingWassailinWhimpleevery 17 January, and the carrying of flaming tar barrels inOttery St. Mary, where people who have lived in Ottery for long enough are called upon to celebrateBonfire Nightby running through the village (and the gathered crowds) with flaming barrels on their backs.Berry Pomeroystill celebratesQueene's DayforElizabeth I.
Devon's total economic output in 2019 was over £26 billion, larger than either Manchester, or Edinburgh.A 2021 report states that "health, retail and tourism account for 43.1% of employment. Agriculture, education, manufacturing, construction and real estate employment are also over-represented in Devon compared with nationally".
Like neighbouring Cornwall to the west, historically Devon has been disadvantaged economically compared to other parts ofSouthern England, owing to the decline of a number of core industries, notably fishing, mining, and farming, but it is now significantly more diverse. Agriculture has been an important industry in Devon since the 19th century. The2001 UK foot and mouth crisisharmed the farming community severely.Since then some parts of the agricultural industry have begun to diversify and recover, with a strong local food sector and many artisan producers. Nonetheless, in 2015 the dairy industry was still suffering from the low prices offered for wholesale milk by major dairies and especially large supermarket chains.
The pandemic negatively affected the economy during 2020 and early 2021; an August 2021 report states that "the immediate economic impacts of COVID-19 for the County as a whole [was] as severe as any in living memory".
in 2014 to 2016, the attractive lifestyle of the area was drawing in new industries which are not heavily dependent upon geographical location;Dartmoor, for instance, has recently seen a significant rise in the percentage of its inhabitants involved in the digital and financial services sectors. TheMet Office, the UK's national and international weather service, moved to Exeter in 2003. Plymouth hosts the head office and first ever store ofThe Range, the only major national retail chain headquartered in Devon.
Since the rise of seaside resorts with the arrival of the railways in the 19th century, Devon's economy has been heavily reliant on tourism. The county's economy followed the declining trend of British seaside resorts since the mid-20th century, but with some recent revival and regeneration of its resorts, particularly focused around camping; sports such as surfing, cycling, sailing and heritage. This revival has been aided by the designation of much of Devon's countryside and coastline as the Dartmoor and Exmoor national parks, and the Jurassic Coast and Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape World Heritage Sites. In 2019 the county's visitor spend was almost £2.5 billion.More successful visitor attractions are particularly concentrated on food and drink, including sea-view restaurants in North-West Devon (such as one example belonging toDamien Hurst), walking theSouth West Coast Path, cycling on theDevon Coast to Coast Cycle Routeand other cycle routes such as theTarka Trailand the Stover Trail; watersports; surfing; indoor and outdoor folk music festivals across the county and sailing in the 5-mile (8.0 km) hill-surrounded inlet (ria) at Salcombe.
Incomes vary significantly and the average is bolstered by a high proportion of affluent retired people. Incomes in much of the South Hams and in villages surrounding Exeter and Plymouth are close to, or above the national average, but there are also areas of severe deprivation, with earnings in some places among the lowest in the UK.
The table also shows the population change in the ten years to the 2011 census by subdivision. It also shows the proportion of residents in each district reliant upon lowest income and/or joblessness benefits, the national average proportion of which was 4.5% as at August 2012, the year for which latest datasets have been published. It can be seen that the most populous district of Devon is East Devon but only if excludingTorbaywhich has marginally more residents and Plymouth which has approximately double the number of residents of either of these. West Devon has the fewest residents, having 63,839 at the time of the census.
There is a network of bus services across Devon. Bus operators include: Stagecoach (much of Devon), AVMT Buses (East Devon/Jurassic Coast), County Bus (Teignbridge) and Plymouth Citybus.
The key train operator for Devon isGreat Western Railway, which operates numerous regional, local and suburban services, as well as inter-city services north toLondon Paddingtonand south toPlymouthandPenzance. Other inter-city services are operated byCrossCountrynorth toManchester Piccadilly,Edinburgh Waverley,Glasgow Central,Dundee,Aberdeenand south to Plymouth and Penzance; and bySouth Western Railway, operating hourly services betweenLondon WaterlooandExeter St Davids, via theWest of England Main Line. All Devon services are diesel-hauled, since there are no electrified lines in the county.
Okehampton station in Devon was closed in 1972 to passenger traffic as a result of theBeeching cuts, but regained regular passenger services run by GWR to Exeter in November 2021, funded by the UK Government's Restoring your Railway programme.
There are proposals to reopen the line fromTavistocktoBere Alstonfor a through service to Plymouth.The possibility of reopening the line between Tavistock and Okehampton, to provide an alternative route between Exeter and Plymouth, has also been suggested following damage to the railway'ssea wall at Dawlishin 2014, which caused widespread disruption to trains between Exeter and Penzance. However, a study by Network Rail determined that maintaining the existing railway line would offer the best value for moneyand work to strengthen the line atDawlishbegan in 2019.
Devon County Council has proposed a 'Devon Metro' scheme to improve rail services in the county and offer a realistic alternative to car travel. This includes the opening ofCranbrook stationin December 2015, plus four new stations to be constructed (includingEdginswell) as a priority.Several elements of the scheme have, or are in the process of being delivered including the building ofMarsh Barton stationon the edge of Exeterwhich was opened in July 2023,and a regular half hourly local rail service now extended from theAvocet Lineacross Exeter to include theRiviera Line.
Exeter Airportis the only passenger airport in Devon and in 2019 was used by over one million people. Until 2020,Flybehad its headquarters at the airport. Destinations include various locations within the UK (London City, Manchester,Belfast, Edinburgh, etc.), as well as locations inCyprus, Italy, Netherlands,Lapland, Portugal, Spain, France,Malta, Switzerland and Turkey.
Devon has a mostlycomprehensive educationsystem. There are 37 state and 23 independent secondary schools. There are three tertiary (FE) colleges and anagricultural college(Bicton College, nearBudleigh Salterton). Torbay has eight state (with three grammar schools) and three independent secondary schools, and Plymouth has 17 state (with three grammar schools – two female and one male) and one independent school,Plymouth College. East Devon and Teignbridge have the largest school populations, with West Devon the smallest (with only two schools). Only one school in Exeter, Mid Devon, Torridge and North Devon have asixth form– the schools in other districts mostly have sixth forms, with all schools in West Devon and East Devon having a sixth form.
Three universities are located in Devon, theUniversity of Exeter(split between theStreatham CampusandSt Luke's Campus, both in Exeter, and a campus in Cornwall); in Plymouth theUniversity of Plymouthin Britain is present, along with theUniversity of St Mark & St Johnto the city's north. The universities of Exeter and Plymouth have together formed thePeninsula College of Medicine and Dentistrywhich has bases in Exeter and Plymouth. There is alsoSchumacher College.
The county has given its name to a number of culinary specialities. The Devonshirecream tea, involvingscones,jamandclotted cream, is thought to have originated in Devon (though claims have also been made for neighbouring counties); in other countries, such as Australia and New Zealand, it is known as a "Devonshire tea".It has also been claimed that thepastyoriginated in Devon rather than Cornwall, with the first record of the pasty coming from Plymouth in 1509.
In October 2008, Devon was awarded Fairtrade County status by theFairtrade Foundation.
Devon has been home to a number of customs, such as its own form ofDevon wrestling, similar in some ways toCornish wrestling. As recently as the 19th century, a crowd of over 17,000 at Devonport, near Plymouth, attended a match between the champions of Devon and Cornwall.Another Devon sport wasouthurlingwhich was played in some regions until the 20th century (e.g. 1922, atGreat Torrington).Other ancient customs which survive include Dartmoor step dancing, and "Crying The Neck".
Devon has three professional football teams, based in each of its most populous towns and cities. As of 2023,Plymouth Argyle F.C.competes in theEFL Championship,Exeter City F.C.in theEFL League One, whilstTorquay United F.C.compete in theNational League. Plymouth's highest Football League finish was fourth in theSecond Division, which was achieved twice, in 1932 and 1953. Torquay and Exeter have never progressed beyond the third tier of the league; Torquay finished second ongoal averagein theThird Division (S)behind SirAlf Ramsey'sIpswich Townin 1957. Exeter's highest position has been eighth in the Third Division (S). The county's biggest non-league clubs arePlymouth Parkway F.C.andTiverton Town F.C.which compete in theSouthern Football League Premier Division, andBideford A.F.C.,Exmouth Town F.C.andTavistock A.F.C.which are in theSouthern Football League Division One South and West.
Rugby Unionis popular in Devon with over forty clubs under the banner of theDevon Rugby Football Union, many with various teams at senior, youth and junior levels. One club –Exeter Chiefs– play in theAviva Premiership, winning the title in 2017 for the first time in their history after beatingWasps RFCin the final 23–20.Plymouth Albionwho are, as of 2023, in theNational League 1(The third tier of English Professional Rugby Union).
There are fiverugby leagueteams in Devon:Plymouth Titans,Exeter Centurions, andDevon Sharksfrom Torquay, North Devon Raiders from Barnstaple, andEast Devon EaglesfromExmouth. They all play in theRugby League Conference.
Plymouth City Patriotsrepresent Devon in theBritish Basketball League. Formed in 2021, they replaced the former professional club,Plymouth Raiders, after the latter team were withdrawn from competition due to venue issues.Motorcycle speedwayis also supported in the county, with both theExeter FalconsandPlymouth Gladiatorssucceeding in the National Leagues in recent years.
TheUniversity of Exeter Hockey Clubenter teams in both theMen'sandWomen's England Hockey Leagues.
Horse Racing is also popular in the county, with twoNational Huntracecourses (Exeter and Newton Abbot), and numerouspoint to pointcourses. There are also many successful professional racehorse trainers based in Devon.
The county is represented incricketbyDevon County Cricket Club, who play at aMinor countieslevel.
Devon is known for itsmariners, such as SirFrancis Drake, SirHumphrey Gilbert, SirRichard Grenville, SirWalter Raleigh, and SirFrancis Chichester.Henry Every, described as the most notorious pirate of the late 17th century, was probably born in the village ofNewton Ferrers.John Oxenham(1536–1580) was a lieutenant of Drake but considered a pirate by the Spanish.Thomas Morton(1576–1647) was an avid Elizabethan outdoorsman probably born in Devon who became an attorney for The Council For New England, and built the New England fur-trading-plantation called Ma-Re Mount or Merrymount around a West Country-style Maypole, much to the displeasure of Pilgrim and Puritan colonists. Morton wrote a 1637 bookNew English Canaanabout his experiences, partly in verse, and may have thereby become America's first poet to write in English.Another famous mariner and Devonian wasRobert Falcon Scott, the leader of the unfortunateTerra Nova Expeditionto reach the geographical South Pole.The poetSamuel Taylor Coleridge, the crime writersAgatha ChristieandBertram Fletcher Robinson, the Irish writerWilliam Trevor, and the poetTed Hugheslived in Devon. The painter and founder of theRoyal Academy,Sir Joshua Reynolds, was born in Devon.Chris Dawson, the billionaire owner of retailer The Range was born in Devon, where his business retains its head office inPlymouth.
The actorMatthew Goodewas raised in Devon, andBradley James, also an actor, was born there. The singerJoss Stonewas brought up in Devon and frontmanChris Martinfrom the British rock groupColdplaywas born there.Matt Bellamy,Dominic HowardandChris Wolstenholmefrom the English groupMuseall grew up in Devon and formed the band there. Dave Hill of rock bandSladewas born inFlete Housewhich is in the South Hams district of Devon. Singer-songwriterBen Howardgrew up in Totnes, a small town in Devon. Another famous Devonian is the model and actressRosie Huntington-Whiteley, who was born inPlymouthand raised inTavistock. The singer and songwriterRebecca Newmanwas born and raised in Exmouth.Roger Deakins, called "the pre-eminentcinematographerof our time", was born and lives in Devon.
Trevor Francis, formerNottingham ForestandBirmingham Cityprofessional footballer, and the first English footballer to cost £1 million, was born and brought up in Plymouth.
SwimmerSharron Daviesand diverTom Daleywere born in Plymouth. The Olympic runnerJo Paveywas born in Honiton.Peter Cookthe satirist, writer and comedian was born in Torquay, Devon.Leicester TigersandBritish and Irish LionsRugby playerJulian Whitewas born and raised in Devon and now farms a herd of pedigree South Devon beef cattle. The dog breederJohn "Jack" Russellwas also from Devon.Jane McGrath, who married Australian cricketerGlenn McGrathwas born in Paignton, her long battle with and subsequent death from breast cancer inspired the formation of theMcGrath Foundation, which is one of Australia's leading charities.
Devon has also been represented in theHouse of Commonsby notableMembers of Parliament(MPs) such asNancy Astor,Gwyneth Dunwoody,Michael FootandDavid Owenand the Prime MinistersLord John RussellandLord Palmerston.