East Allington
Encyclopedia
East Allington is a village in south Devon
, England, three miles south of Halwell
and just off the A381 road. It lies about three miles from Kingsbridge
and about ten miles from Totnes
. The coast at Slapton Sands
is about five miles to the south-east. East Allington also includes the hamlet of The Mounts
, about a mile away.
The Church of St. Andrew's overlooks the village from a hillside position, and East Allington Primary School nestles in the shadow of the church.
East Allington is located within the South Hams
local authority area. Historically, it formed part of Stanborough Hundred, and for ecclesiastical purposes, East Allington falls within Woodleigh Deanery.
Population has varied over the years - it was 468 in 1801, 396 in 1901 and 617 in 2000.
It was in East Allington Church, on 12 November 1943, that the announcement was first made to the people of a large part of the South Hams that they were all to be evacuated from the area by 20 December 1943. Although nobody was told the reason, it was because The War Office
had chosen to use Slapton Sands to rehearse the D-Day landings, as the beach at Slapton is very similar to the beach at Normandy
which had been chosen for the landings. Ultimately, 749 American soldiers lost their lives at Slapton Sands in April, 1944 in a German attack during the exercises.
Today, East Allington is a thriving village, with some new housing recently completed. It has a Church, Primary School, Village Hall, Pub and Recreation Ground.
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, three miles south of Halwell
Halwell
Halwell is a small village located within the South Hams district council area, in Devon, South West England. It is located south of Totnes, and west of Dartmouth....
and just off the A381 road. It lies about three miles from Kingsbridge
Kingsbridge
Kingsbridge is a market town and popular tourist hub in the South Hams district of Devon, England, with a population of about 5,800. It is situated at the northern end of the Kingsbridge Estuary, which is a textbook example of a ria and extends to the sea six miles south of the town.-History:The...
and about ten miles from Totnes
Totnes
Totnes is a market town and civil parish at the head of the estuary of the River Dart in Devon, England within the South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty...
. The coast at Slapton Sands
Slapton, Devon
Slapton is a village in Devon, England. It is located near the A379 road between Kingsbridge and Dartmouth, and lies within the South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty . In 2001 the population of the civil parish of Slapton was 473...
is about five miles to the south-east. East Allington also includes the hamlet of The Mounts
The Mounts
The Mounts is a small hamlet, containing only 17 houses including Tor Cottage Bed & Breakfast, situated on the A381 road between Totnes and Kingsbridge in Devon, England. It is part of East Allington, though it lies about one mile away from the main village...
, about a mile away.
The Church of St. Andrew's overlooks the village from a hillside position, and East Allington Primary School nestles in the shadow of the church.
East Allington is located within the South Hams
South Hams
South Hams is a local government district on the south coast of Devon, England with its headquarters in the town of Totnes. It contains the towns of Dartmouth, Kingsbridge, Ivybridge, Salcombe — the largest of which is Ivybridge with a population of 16,056....
local authority area. Historically, it formed part of Stanborough Hundred, and for ecclesiastical purposes, East Allington falls within Woodleigh Deanery.
Population has varied over the years - it was 468 in 1801, 396 in 1901 and 617 in 2000.
It was in East Allington Church, on 12 November 1943, that the announcement was first made to the people of a large part of the South Hams that they were all to be evacuated from the area by 20 December 1943. Although nobody was told the reason, it was because The War Office
War Office
The War Office was a department of the British Government, responsible for the administration of the British Army between the 17th century and 1964, when its functions were transferred to the Ministry of Defence...
had chosen to use Slapton Sands to rehearse the D-Day landings, as the beach at Slapton is very similar to the beach at Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
which had been chosen for the landings. Ultimately, 749 American soldiers lost their lives at Slapton Sands in April, 1944 in a German attack during the exercises.
Today, East Allington is a thriving village, with some new housing recently completed. It has a Church, Primary School, Village Hall, Pub and Recreation Ground.