Dartmouth depends on the River Dart; its situation on a sheltered natural harbour proving of such great strategic military and commercial value that development was encouraged and sustained from the early middle ages onwards....
On the 30th January this year, the Devon Local Nature Partnership launched a list of the County’s ‘special’ species at an event at County Hall. This includes a ‘short list’ of ‘flagship’ species, the...
In the early 1600s, Tristram Risdon, when approaching the Dart near Buckfast, looked down on the: “skeleton of a huge body, whereby might be conceived what Bigness it once had, whose ruins might move...
As in many other parts of Devon, the availability of water power and local materials (wool and hides in this case) shaped the form of industry in Buckfastleigh. The Hamlyn family were the dominating...
The communities of Buckfast and Buckfastleigh are separated by a limestone hill, but are in effect the same place. The Saxon form of Buckfast is Bucfaeten or ‘stags fitness’. Buckfastleigh is in the Ley,...
Buckfastleigh is to the south of the granite of Dartmoor but the granite has heavily influenced the underlying geology. This underlying geology includes the slates and thin limestones of the Upper Devonian and some...
Being situated on the sheltered southern flank of Dartmoor and with its mix of geology the Buckfastleigh area is rich in wildlife and is particularly well-known for its invertebrates. The limestone hill and its...
The village of Buckfast, with the Abbey at its core, is not to be confused with Buckfastleigh down the road. Buckfast Abbey was founded in 1018, closing in 1535 during the Dissolution. The remarkable...
Botany Section Take a walk from the ruins of Holy Trinity Church, Buckfastleigh, down the steep path to the limestone quarries around Rock Farm where Deptford Pink Dianthus armeria can still be found and...
Cullompton has both a living tradition of musical ceremony which is special to Devon and enjoys modern music making through local performers and organisations. Wassailing, an ancient winter custom of honouring the apple trees...