HONITON

'Honiton' is a town in East Devon, situated close to the River Otter, 17 miles northeast of Exeter in the county of Devon. The town's name is pronounced in two ways (hʌnɪtɘn or hɒnɪtɘn), each pronunciation having its adherents.

Contents

History

Features

Education

Shops and leisure facilities

Transport

Road

Rail

Famous Residents

Twin towns

External links

History

The town grew along the line of the Fosse Way - the ancient Roman road linking Exeter (Isca Dumnoniorum) to Lincoln (Lindum) on which it was an important stopping point. The location is mentioned in the Domesday Book as ''Honetone'', meaning a farmstead of a man called Huna. It became an important market town known for its lace making that was introduced by Flemish immigrants in the Elizabethan era. In the 17th century thousands of people produced lace by hand in their homes and later in the 19th Century Queen Victoria had her wedding dress made of Honiton lace. The town also became known for its Honiton pottery.
In the mid 18th century the town was largely destroyed by fire. Georgian houses were then built to replace some of those that had been destroyed. Honiton more than doubled in size between the 1960s and 2005 with most development taking place south of the Exeter to Waterloo railway line.

Features

The size of Honiton in 2005 was approximately 3.2 km². Further development will be limited as Honiton borders the East Devon AONB (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty) to the south and the Blackdown Hills AONB to the north and east. AONBs have the same level of protection as National Parks of England and Wales which restricts new developments.
There are still indications of its history as a centre for lace making, such as "Lace Walk" and the "Honiton Lace Shop." However, the business now trades by appointment only and via the internet. The shop has been converted to a restaurant, originally named "Merletto" - which is Italian for "lace." The restaurant has since changed ownership and is a Chinese style restaurant.
St Michael's Parish Church, which was rebuilt in 1911 after a fire, is situated on a small hill above the town. The mid 19th Century St Paul's Church was designed by Charles Fowler and is situated in the centre of the town.

Education

Honiton has two primary schools (Honiton Primary School and Littletown Primary School) and Honiton Community College which includes a 6th form.

Shops and leisure facilities

There is a sports centre with swimming pool, and shops such as Homebase, Argos, Tesco and Marks & Spencer Simply Foods. Honiton is also popular with antique hunters, boasting over 20 antique shops.

Transport

Road

The town is at the junction of the busy A35 and A30 roads. The A30 now bypasses the town to the north. Until its construction in the 1970s, the town was blighted by traffic congestion.

Rail

Honiton has a station on the West of England Main Line that runs from London Waterloo to Exeter.

Famous Residents

★ Ozias Humphry – Miniaturist Artist

★ William Salter – Portrait Artist

Twin towns

Mézidon-Canon, France
Gronau-Leine, Germany

External links

★ Honiton Midweek Herald

★ Honiton's Army Cadet Force Detachment

★ Honiton Town Council

★ Honiton (DMOZ.org)

★ Honiton - Devon Online

★ Honiton Community College