Ashburton, Devon
Encyclopedia
Ashburton is a small town on the edge of Dartmoor
in Devon
, adjacent to the A38
Devon Expressway.
It was formerly important as a stannary town (a centre for the administration of tin
-mining), and remains the largest town within the National Park, with a population of around 3,500. Ashburton has six pubs within the centre of town, and two restaurants.
(1086) as Essebretone. During the English Civil War
, Ashburton was a temporary refuge for Royalist troops fleeing after their defeat by General Fairfax at nearby Bovey Tracey
.
The town was the terminus of the Buckfastleigh, Totnes and South Devon Railway
that opened on 1 May 1872. Ashburton railway station
closed to passengers in November 1958 although goods traffic on the line continued until 7 September 1962.
Asburton used to be famous for a beverage known as Ashburton Pop, possibly a type of champagne, the recipe of which was lost with the brewer in 1765.
Ashburton Carnival is one of the oldest, possibly the oldest, surviving in Devon. Written records date it back to 1891, but it is believed to have been started in the mid 1880s to raise funds for a new hospital.
to public office. The candidate was Alan Hope
, a local publican, who was elected unopposed to Ashburton Town Council in 1989. He subsequently became Deputy Mayor and later Mayor
of Ashburton.
The town is one of a few to still nominally appoint a Portreeve
or 'port warden'. Others are Laugharne, Beccles
, Callington (where the name is given to the council chairman), Cheevel, and Yeovil
.
. One window has stained glass by C. E. Kempe. The porch is partly Norman
. Saint Gulval's Well is probably named after St Wolvela, also honoured at Gulval
in Cornwall.
Dartmoor
Dartmoor is an area of moorland in south Devon, England. Protected by National Park status, it covers .The granite upland dates from the Carboniferous period of geological history. The moorland is capped with many exposed granite hilltops known as tors, providing habitats for Dartmoor wildlife. The...
in Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
, adjacent to the A38
A38 road
The A38, part of which is also known as the Devon Expressway, is a major A-class trunk road in England.The road runs from Bodmin in Cornwall to Mansfield in Nottinghamshire. It is long, making it one of the longest A-roads in England. It was formerly known as the Leeds — Exeter Trunk Road,...
Devon Expressway.
It was formerly important as a stannary town (a centre for the administration of tin
Tin
Tin is a chemical element with the symbol Sn and atomic number 50. It is a main group metal in group 14 of the periodic table. Tin shows chemical similarity to both neighboring group 14 elements, germanium and lead and has two possible oxidation states, +2 and the slightly more stable +4...
-mining), and remains the largest town within the National Park, with a population of around 3,500. Ashburton has six pubs within the centre of town, and two restaurants.
History
The name is recorded in the Domesday BookDomesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
(1086) as Essebretone. During the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
, Ashburton was a temporary refuge for Royalist troops fleeing after their defeat by General Fairfax at nearby Bovey Tracey
Bovey Tracey
Bovey Tracey is a small town in Devon, England, on the edge of Dartmoor, its proximity to which gives rise to the "slogan" used on the town's boundary signs, "The Gateway to the Moor". The locals just call the town "Bovey" ....
.
The town was the terminus of the Buckfastleigh, Totnes and South Devon Railway
Buckfastleigh, Totnes and South Devon Railway
The Buckfastleigh, Totnes and South Devon Railway built the broad gauge railway line from Totnes to Buckfastleigh and Ashburton in Devon, England.-History:...
that opened on 1 May 1872. Ashburton railway station
Ashburton railway station
Ashburton railway station is a closed railway station situated in the town of Ashburton in Devon, England. It was the terminus of a branch line from Totnes. -History:...
closed to passengers in November 1958 although goods traffic on the line continued until 7 September 1962.
Asburton used to be famous for a beverage known as Ashburton Pop, possibly a type of champagne, the recipe of which was lost with the brewer in 1765.
Ashburton Carnival is one of the oldest, possibly the oldest, surviving in Devon. Written records date it back to 1891, but it is believed to have been started in the mid 1880s to raise funds for a new hospital.
Politics
Ashburton was the first place to elect a candidate of the Official Monster Raving Loony PartyOfficial Monster Raving Loony Party
The Official Monster Raving Loony Party is a registered political party established in the United Kingdom in 1983 by musician and politician David Sutch , better known as Screaming Lord Sutch.-History:...
to public office. The candidate was Alan Hope
Howling Laud Hope
Alan "Howling Laud" Hope is the Leader of the United Kingdom's Official Monster Raving Loony Party . In 1999, following the death of the party's founder, Screaming Lord Sutch, Hope and his pet cat, Cat Mandu, were jointly elected as leaders of the OMRLP...
, a local publican, who was elected unopposed to Ashburton Town Council in 1989. He subsequently became Deputy Mayor and later Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Ashburton.
The town is one of a few to still nominally appoint a Portreeve
Portreeve
A portreeve, or 'port warden' is a historical British political appointment with a fluctuating role which evolved over time.The origins of the position are in the reign of Edward the Elder, who, in order to ensure that taxes were correctly exacted, forbade the conducting of trades outside of a...
or 'port warden'. Others are Laugharne, Beccles
Beccles
Beccles is a market town and civil parish in the Waveney District of the English county of Suffolk. The town is shown on the milestone as from London via the A145 Blythburgh and A12 road, northeast of London as the crow flies, southeast of Norwich, and north northeast of the county town of...
, Callington (where the name is given to the council chairman), Cheevel, and Yeovil
Yeovil
Yeovil is a town and civil parish in south Somerset, England. The parish had a population of 27,949 at the 2001 census, although the wider urban area had a population of 42,140...
.
Sites of interest
The parish church of St Andrew is a fine building of the 15th century with a tall tower and two aisle. The fifteenth century church tower features sculptures by Herbert Read, who also carved the oak reredosReredos
thumb|300px|right|An altar and reredos from [[St. Josaphat's Roman Catholic Church|St. Josaphat Catholic Church]] in [[Detroit]], [[Michigan]]. This would be called a [[retable]] in many other languages and countries....
. One window has stained glass by C. E. Kempe. The porch is partly Norman
Norman architecture
About|Romanesque architecture, primarily English|other buildings in Normandy|Architecture of Normandy.File:Durham Cathedral. Nave by James Valentine c.1890.jpg|thumb|200px|The nave of Durham Cathedral demonstrates the characteristic round arched style, though use of shallow pointed arches above the...
. Saint Gulval's Well is probably named after St Wolvela, also honoured at Gulval
Gulval
Gulval is a village in the former Penwith district of Cornwall, United Kingdom. Although historically a parish in its own right, Gulval was incorporated into the parishes of Penzance, Madron and Ludgvan in 1934, and like Heamoor, is now considered to be a suburb of Penzance...
in Cornwall.