Budleigh Salterton
Encyclopedia
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
on the south coast of 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...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
15 miles south of Exeter
Exeter
Exeter is a historic city in Devon, England. It lies within the ceremonial county of Devon, of which it is the county town as well as the home of Devon County Council. Currently the administrative area has the status of a non-metropolitan district, and is therefore under the administration of the...
. It is situated within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is an area of countryside considered to have significant landscape value in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, that has been specially designated by the Countryside Agency on behalf of the United Kingdom government; the Countryside Council for Wales on...
designated East Devon AONB
East Devon AONB
East Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty covers over of the East Devon countryside .This countryside includes eighteen miles of Heritage coastline...
.
Features
Budleigh lies at the mouth of the River OtterRiver Otter
Not to be confused with the animal Otter or the River Ottery in CornwallThe River Otter rises in the Blackdown Hills just inside the county of Somerset, near Otterford, then flows south for some 32 km through East Devon to the English Channel at the western end of Lyme Bay, part of...
, where the estuary forms an area of reed bed and grazing marsh, an important haven for migratory birds and a Site of Special Scientific Interest
Site of Special Scientific Interest
A Site of Special Scientific Interest is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom. SSSIs are the basic building block of site-based nature conservation legislation and most other legal nature/geological conservation designations in Great Britain are based upon...
.
The town is almost entirely residential, with most businesses being situated in the High Street, Fore Street and Station Road (at the High Street end). It came bottom in a 2003 survey of towns giving value for money to homebuyers. Near the town centre is a park, known as The Green. Budleigh Salterton is also home to East Devon Golf Club.
Fairlynch Museum is a small museum
Museum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
housed in a listed thatched building. It covers the history and geology of the region, and offers exhibitions and a local archive.
Budleigh is on the South West Coast Path
South West Coast Path
The South West Coast Path is Britain's longest waymarked long-distance footpath and a National Trail. It stretches for , running from Minehead in Somerset, along the coasts of Devon and Cornwall, to Poole Harbour in Dorset. Since it rises and falls with every river mouth, it is also one of the more...
, with clifftop routes eastward to Sidmouth
Sidmouth
Sidmouth is a small town on the English Channel coast in Devon, South West England. The town lies at the mouth of the River Sid in the East Devon district, south east of Exeter. It has a population of about 15,000, of whom 40% are over 65....
and westward to Exmouth
Exmouth
Exmouth is a town in Devon. It may also refer to:Places*Exmouth Peninsula in Southern Chile*Exmouth, Western AustraliaPeople*Edward Pellew, 1st Viscount Exmouth , a British naval officerShips...
. The pebble beach and cliffs are part of the Jurassic Coast
Jurassic Coast
The Jurassic Coast is a World Heritage Site on the English Channel coast of southern England. The site stretches from Orcombe Point near Exmouth in East Devon to Old Harry Rocks near Swanage in East Dorset, a distance of ....
World Heritage site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
, although this is an arrangement of geographical convenience, rather than being correct from the geological time point of view. Much of the geology is Triassic
Triassic
The Triassic is a geologic period and system that extends from about 250 to 200 Mya . As the first period of the Mesozoic Era, the Triassic follows the Permian and is followed by the Jurassic. Both the start and end of the Triassic are marked by major extinction events...
, represented by bunter
Bunter (geology)
Bunter beds are sandstone deposits containing rounded pebbles, such as can notably be found in Warwickshire, Cheshire, Staffordshire, Nottinghamshire, Yorkshire, Devon and Dorset in England...
sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
(Budleigh Salterton Pebble Beds) and the area is also known for the radioactive nodules containing vanadium
Vanadium
Vanadium is a chemical element with the symbol V and atomic number 23. It is a hard, silvery gray, ductile and malleable transition metal. The formation of an oxide layer stabilizes the metal against oxidation. The element is found only in chemically combined form in nature...
and uranium
Uranium
Uranium is a silvery-white metallic chemical element in the actinide series of the periodic table, with atomic number 92. It is assigned the chemical symbol U. A uranium atom has 92 protons and 92 electrons, of which 6 are valence electrons...
in red marl at Littleham Cove.
Notable residents
The birthplace of Walter RaleighWalter Raleigh
Sir Walter Raleigh was an English aristocrat, writer, poet, soldier, courtier, spy, and explorer. He is also well known for popularising tobacco in England....
is a couple of miles to the north, at Hayes Barton, near East Budleigh
East Budleigh
East Budleigh is a small village in East Devon, England. The villages of Yettington, Colaton Raleigh, and Otterton lie to the west, north and east of East Budleigh, with the seaside town of Budleigh Salterton about two miles south...
and the town is the location for the painting The Boyhood of Raleigh by Sir John Everett Millais
John Everett Millais
Sir John Everett Millais, 1st Baronet, PRA was an English painter and illustrator and one of the founders of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood.-Early life:...
. A blue plaque affixed to The Octagon commemorates Millais' stay in the town. Other notable people associated with Budleigh Salterton include Henry John Carter
Henry John Carter
Henry John Carter, FRS was a surgeon working in Bombay, India, who carried out work in geology and zoology. He worked as an army surgeon in Bombay from 1859 on Her Majesty's Indian Service, Bombay Establishment. He edited a collection of geological papers on Western India, including a summary of...
, Sue Lawley
Sue Lawley
- Early life and education:Born in Sedgley, Staffordshire, England and brought up in the Black Country, she was educated at Dudley Girls High School and graduated in modern languages from the University of Bristol and some time later started her career at the BBC in Plymouth...
, broadcaster, Andrew Marr
Andrew Marr
Andrew William Stevenson Marr is a Scottish journalist and political commentator. He edited The Independent for two years until May 1998, and was political editor of BBC News from 2000 until 2005....
, Sally McNally, puppeteer of Muffin the Mule
Muffin the Mule
Muffin the Mule is a puppet character in British television programmes for children. The original programmes featuring the character were presented by Annette Mills, sister of John Mills, & aunt to Hayley Mills, and broadcast live by the BBC from their studios at Alexandra Palace from 1946 to 1952...
, the poet M. R. Peacocke
M. R. Peacocke
Meg R. Peacocke is a British poet.-Life:She was sent to boarding school at Cheltenham Ladies' College in 1942.She graduated from St...
, and actress Belinda Lee
Belinda Lee
Belinda Lee was an English actress.Born in Budleigh Salterton, England, Lee was signed to a film contract in 1954 by the Rank Studios after being seen performing as a student of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art...
(born there in 1935), Reg Varney
Reg Varney
Reginald Alfred "Reg" Varney was an English actor, most notable for his role as Stan Butler in 1970s TV sitcom On the Buses.-Early life:...
, died in a nursing home here, on November 16, 2008, and children's book author George Mills (writer)
George Mills (writer)
George Ramsay Acland Mills was a British preparatory schoolmaster and an author of children's adventure stories. His whimsical tales often revolve around boys' preparatory schools in Great Britain and often involve sports like cricket, pranks, and mysteries, as well as a beloved pet bulldog, Uggles...
who died in 1972 while living at Grey Friars.
Festivals and events
- Gala Week – a series of fundraising events, organised by the LionsLions Clubs InternationalLions Clubs International is a secular service organization with over 44,500 clubs and more than 1,368,683 members in 191 countries around the world founded by Melvin Jones Headquartered in Oak Brook, Illinois, United States, the organization aims to meet the needs of communities on a local and...
, held during the last week in May. - Festival of Music and Drama – the inaugural festival took place in August 2005, and is now an annual event.
- Budleigh Salterton Jazz Festival - held annually in April. Next festival Friday 20th to Sunday 22nd April 2012
- Budleigh Salterton Literary Festival - held annually in September. First festival 18–20 September 2009
- Budstock - a bi-annual one-day festival featuring local bands, usually at the beginning of August.
- SundownSundown (party)Sundown is an annual demoparty held in the coastal town of Budleigh Salterton, near Exeter in the United Kingdom.-About:Sundown is a relatively small, UK-orientated demoparty, aimed at fostering and expanding creative talents and programming skills in the demoscene.- 2005 :The first party was...
- an annual 3 day computer arts demopartyDemopartyA demoparty is an event that gathers demosceners and other computer enthusiasts to compete in competitions. A typical demoparty is a non-stop event lasting over a weekend, providing the visitors a lot of time to socialize. The competing works, at least those in the most important competitions, are...
, held every September since 2005. - Imperial College Operatic Society visits Budleigh Salterton for two weeks in late July / early August (every year since 1966) to perform a musical. This year's show will be The Boy FriendThe Boy FriendThe Boy Friend is a musical by Sandy Wilson. The musical's original 1954 London production ran for 2,078 performances, making it briefly the third-longest running musical in West End or Broadway history until it was surpassed by Salad Days...
. There are usually ten performances including at least one matinee. - Christmas Day swim on Christmas morning
- Boxing day raft race down the River Otter, residents and groups make rafts and launch them down the river from Otterton to Budleigh
Transport
Budleigh Salterton is situated on the B3178 and the B3179 ends on the western edge of the town. It is served by three bus routes: The Coasthopper 157 (hourly) to towns ExmouthExmouth, Devon
Exmouth is a port town, civil parish and seaside resort in East Devon, England, sited on the east bank of the mouth of the River Exe. In 2001, it had a population of 32,972.-History:...
and Sidmouth
Sidmouth
Sidmouth is a small town on the English Channel coast in Devon, South West England. The town lies at the mouth of the River Sid in the East Devon district, south east of Exeter. It has a population of about 15,000, of whom 40% are over 65....
, the 357 (hourly to Exmouth, also forming the town service) and the 57C (one journey each way) to Exeter and Bicton College
Bicton College
Bicton College is a college with around 1,000 full-time and 3,500 part-time pupils, located near Budleigh Salterton, Devon, England. The college specialises in agriculture and currently offers courses in such topics as animal care, countyside management, horticulture, outdoor leisure, veterinary...
. Off-peak bus services to Exeter ceased in 2003 and peak services were withdrawn in early 2005 but the 58 was extended to serve the town twice daily in October 2005.
In popular culture
- In the song "(Now) I know (where I'm going) our kid" by the parody group The ShirehorsesShirehorsesThe Shirehorses are a spoof band comprising two BBC Radio DJs from Manchester, Mark Radcliffe and Marc Riley, known collectively as Mark and Lard....
, Budleigh Salterton is cited satirically as being on the road to ScotlandScotlandScotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. - The character Giles Wemmbley-Hogg portrayed by Marcus BrigstockeMarcus BrigstockeMarcus Alexander Brigstocke is an English comedian, actor and satirist who has worked extensively in stand-up comedy, television, radio and in 2010-2011 musical theatre. He is particularly associated with the 6.30pm comedy slot on BBC Radio 4, having frequently appeared on several of its shows...
in the radio programme Giles Wemmbley-Hogg Goes OffGiles Wemmbley-Hogg Goes OffGiles Wemmbley-Hogg Goes Off is a British radio comedy from BBC Radio 4, written by Marcus Brigstocke, Jeremy Salsby and Graeme Garden.-Format:...
lives in Budleigh Salterton. - Budleigh Salterton was used as a location for Jeremy ClarksonJeremy ClarksonJeremy Charles Robert Clarkson is an English broadcaster, journalist and writer who specialises in motoring. He is best known for his role on the BBC TV show Top Gear along with co-presenters Richard Hammond and James May...
to review the Bentley Continental GT in a 2003 episode of Top GearTop Gear (current format)Top Gear is a British television series about motor vehicles, primarily cars. It began in 1977 as a conventional motoring magazine show. Over time, and especially since a relaunch in 2002, it has developed a quirky, humorous style...
. He described the name Budleigh Salterton as the sort of name an owner of a Bentley Continental GTBentley Continental GT-Flying Spur:The four door Continental Flying Spur saloon was first displayed at the 2005 Geneva Motor Show. The Flying Spur utilizes most of the technical underpinnings of the Bentley Continental GT, and was introduced to European and North American markets in the summer of 2005...
would have - and "Britain's most overpriced, dreary place." - In an episode of Blackadder the ThirdBlackadder the ThirdBlackadder the Third is the third series of the BBC situation comedy Blackadder, written by Richard Curtis and Ben Elton, which aired from 17 September to 22 October 1987....
, after one of his failed get-rich-quick schemes, Mr. E. BlackadderMr. E. BlackadderEdmund Blackadder, Esq. is the main character in the third series of the BBC sitcom Blackadder. He was played by Rowan Atkinson.The series was set in the reign of George III of the United Kingdom . The character is in keeping with the trend of the series Blackadder is lower in rank in this series,...
exclaimed "I don't believe it! Goodbye Millionaire's Row. Hello Room 12 of the Budleigh Salterton Twilight Rest Home for the Terminally Short of Cash!" - Referred to in Blithe SpiritBlithe Spirit (play)Blithe Spirit is a comic play written by Noël Coward which takes its title from Percy Bysshe Shelley's poem "To a Skylark" . The play concerns socialite and novelist Charles Condomine, who invites the eccentric medium and clairvoyant, Madame Arcati, to his house to conduct a séance, hoping to...
- "What ever is wrong with Budleigh Salterton?" - Budleigh Salterton is referenced briefly in an episode of Monty Python's Flying CircusMonty Python's Flying CircusMonty Python’s Flying Circus is a BBC TV sketch comedy series. The shows were composed of surreality, risqué or innuendo-laden humour, sight gags and observational sketches without punchlines...
, "The Cycling Tour". - The town Budleigh Babberton in the Harry PotterHarry PotterHarry Potter is a series of seven fantasy novels written by the British author J. K. Rowling. The books chronicle the adventures of the adolescent wizard Harry Potter and his best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, all of whom are students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry...
books is named after this town. - Budleigh Salterton was mentioned in an episode of Granada TelevisionGranada TelevisionGranada Television is the ITV contractor for North West England. Based in Manchester since its inception, it is the only surviving original ITA franchisee from 1954 and is ITV's most successful....
's adaptation/dramatisation of the Sherlock HolmesSherlock HolmesSherlock Holmes is a fictional detective created by Scottish author and physician Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The fantastic London-based "consulting detective", Holmes is famous for his astute logical reasoning, his ability to take almost any disguise, and his use of forensic science skills to solve...
story Charles Augustus Milverton (aired under the title, "The Master Blackmailer") as an intended honeymoon location. In the original account by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, however, this location (as well as the entire scene) was never mentioned, so it cannot be relied upon as canonCanon-Culture and arts:*Canon , material that is considered to be genuine*Western canon, the books, music, and art that have been the most influential in shaping Western cultureMusic...
under Holmes lore.
Jurassic Coast
The Jurassic CoastJurassic Coast
The Jurassic Coast is a World Heritage Site on the English Channel coast of southern England. The site stretches from Orcombe Point near Exmouth in East Devon to Old Harry Rocks near Swanage in East Dorset, a distance of ....
stretches over a distance of 153 kilometres (95 mi),
from Orcombe Point
Orcombe Point
Orcombe Point is a coastal feature near Exmouth, Devon, on the south coast of England. It lies about south of the city of Exeter, southeast of Exmouth town centre and about southwest of Sidmouth....
near Exmouth
Exmouth, Devon
Exmouth is a port town, civil parish and seaside resort in East Devon, England, sited on the east bank of the mouth of the River Exe. In 2001, it had a population of 32,972.-History:...
, in the west, to Old Harry Rocks
Old Harry Rocks
The Old Harry Rocks are two chalk sea stacks located at Handfast Point, on the Isle of Purbeck in Dorset, southern England.- Location :Old Harry Rocks lie directly east of Studland, about 4 kilometres northeast of Swanage, and about 10 kilometres south of the large towns of Poole and...
on the Isle of Purbeck
Isle of Purbeck
The Isle of Purbeck, not a true island but a peninsula, is in the county of Dorset, England. It is bordered by the English Channel to the south and east, where steep cliffs fall to the sea; and by the marshy lands of the River Frome and Poole Harbour to the north. Its western boundary is less well...
, in the east. The coastal exposures along the coastline provide a continuous sequence of Triassic
Triassic
The Triassic is a geologic period and system that extends from about 250 to 200 Mya . As the first period of the Mesozoic Era, the Triassic follows the Permian and is followed by the Jurassic. Both the start and end of the Triassic are marked by major extinction events...
, Jurassic
Jurassic
The Jurassic is a geologic period and system that extends from about Mya to Mya, that is, from the end of the Triassic to the beginning of the Cretaceous. The Jurassic constitutes the middle period of the Mesozoic era, also known as the age of reptiles. The start of the period is marked by...
and Cretaceous
Cretaceous
The Cretaceous , derived from the Latin "creta" , usually abbreviated K for its German translation Kreide , is a geologic period and system from circa to million years ago. In the geologic timescale, the Cretaceous follows the Jurassic period and is followed by the Paleogene period of the...
rock formations spanning approximately 185 million years of the Earth's history. The Jurassic Coast contains a large range of important fossil
Fossil
Fossils are the preserved remains or traces of animals , plants, and other organisms from the remote past...
zones.
- see also List of places on the Jurassic Coast