History of Devon facts for kids

Ancient map showing the old borders of Devon

Devon is a beautiful county in the southwest of England. It shares its borders with Cornwall to the west and Dorset and Somerset to the east. People have lived in Devon since the Stone Age, and its recorded history began when the Romans arrived. For a long time, Devon was its own kingdom before it became part of early England. Historically, farming was very important here, but today, tourism also plays a huge role in the county's economy.

Devon's Ancient Past: Prehistory

Devon was one of the first places in Great Britain where people settled after the last ice age ended. Kents Cavern in Torbay is a very old site where modern humans lived. On Dartmoor, people known as Mesolithic hunter-gatherers lived around 6000 BC. They cleared many of the oak forests, which later grew back as moorland.

Early Farmers and Builders

Around 3500 BC, during the Neolithic era, people started farming on Dartmoor. They also built structures and monuments using the large granite rocks found there. Dartmoor has the oldest known buildings in England! There are over 500 ancient sites on the moor, including burial mounds, stone rows, stone circles, and old settlements like Grimspound. Stone rows are especially cool; some are over 3 kilometers long. Their ends often have a pile of stones (called a cairn), a stone circle, or a standing stone. Because most of Dartmoor wasn't plowed in later times, these ancient sites are still quite easy to see.

Who Were the Dumnonii?

The name "Devon" comes from the Celtic people called the Dumnonii. They lived in this part of Britain when the Romans invaded in 43 AD. Their name might mean 'Deep Valley Dwellers' or 'Worshippers of the god Dumnonos'. Unlike some other tribes, the Dumnonii didn't make their own coins. However, coins from another tribe, the Dobunni, have been found here. Ancient trading ports existed at Mount Batten (near Plymouth) and Bantham. At Bantham, old tin ingots were found, which matches ancient stories about tin being traded with places around the Mediterranean Sea.

Ice Age Animals Discovered

In 2022, archaeologists found amazing remains of Ice Age animals in a cave system. This discovery happened during the building of a new town called Sherford. They found bones from woolly mammoths, reindeer, rhinoceros, bison, wolf, and hyena. Over 200 groups of bones were carefully removed to learn about life in Britain during the Ice Age. Parts of a tusk, a molar tooth, and other bones from a woolly mammoth, plus a partial skull and jawbone of a woolly rhinoceros, were found. These remains are from the middle of the last Ice Age, between 60,000 and 30,000 years ago.

Devon During Roman Times

Devon wasn't as heavily influenced by the Romans as some other areas like Somerset and Dorset. Most of the Roman presence was around Exeter. It's likely that a settlement already existed at Exeter before the Romans arrived. The local British tribe, the Dumnonii, probably kept some of their independence.

Roman Forts and Towns

At first, the Dumnonii tribe might have been a "client kingdom" of Rome, meaning they were allied with Rome but had some self-rule. But around 55 AD, the Romans took military control of at least part of the area. They had a naval port at Topsham and a military camp for the 2nd Augustan Legion at Exeter. The Romans called Exeter 'Isca'. This fort had barracks, workshops, and a grand bath-house. After about 20 years, the legion moved, and civilians took over the settlement. It became a Roman town with a forum (a public square), a basilica (a public building), and eventually, a stone city wall. The Roman government stayed here for over three centuries.

There were smaller forts and pagan shrines across Devon. The name of the Nymet villages (like Nemeton) reminds us of these shrines. However, the lands west of the Exe were mostly untouched by Roman culture. Wealthier local people often lived in round, banked homesteads called 'Rounds'. In East Devon, there were some fancy villas, like one found at Holcombe, and well-built Roman roads.

Devon's Independent Kingdom: Post-Roman Era

After the end of Roman rule in Britain around 410 AD, a kingdom called Dumnonia appeared. It covered Devon, Cornwall, and Somerset. This kingdom was named after the old Dumnonii tribe. Some historians think the Kings of Dumnonia didn't have one fixed capital but moved their court around. Possible locations for their court include Celliwig in Cornwall or High Peak near Sidmouth. Exeter, known as “Caer Uisc,” might have been an important religious center.

Anglo-Saxon Arrival in Devon

It's not entirely clear when the Anglo-Saxons started settling in Devon. Raids from the Wessex kingdom began around 660 AD. By 682 AD, they were pushing into the coastal plains. King Ine of Wessex defeated the last independent king in Devon in 710 AD. His laws even made rules for the Wealhas, which means "Welsh foreigners," some of whom still held important positions.

The Final Conquest

The final takeover of Devon by Wessex likely happened under King Æthelstan of the English. A writer named William of Malmesbury said that "the Britons and Saxons inhabited Exeter aequo jure" – meaning "as equals." However, Æthelstan famously kicked out “that filthy race” from Exeter in 927 AD. Some sources say this was the first step in a military campaign against the "West Welsh" (the Cornish people). There might have been a battle at Haldon near Teignmouth in 936 AD, where the West Welsh were defeated. They were then chased across the River Tamar into Cornwall.

Celtic Language and Genes

The Britons (West Welsh or Cornishmen) definitely stayed in Devon even after this time. An area in Exeter was known as "Brittayne" until the 18th century. The Celtic language is thought to have survived in parts of Devon, especially the South Hams, until the Middle Ages.

Recent genetic studies show that Devon is quite different from Cornwall, and also somewhat different from the rest of Southern England. This could be because of the Anglo-Saxon migration west. However, Devon's population also shows similarities with modern northern France, especially Brittany. This suggests that the Anglo-Saxon migration into Devon might have been limited, rather than a huge movement of people.

Devon in Anglo-Saxon Times

By the 9th century, Viking raiders became a big threat to Devon. To protect against them, Alfred the Great strengthened Exeter as a defensive town, called a burh. He also built new fortifications at Lydford, Halwell, and Pilton. These forts were smaller than those further east, suggesting they were mainly for protecting important people. Edward the Elder built similar forts at Barnstaple and Totnes.

Viking Raids and Battles

The English defeated a combined Cornish and Danish force at Callington in 832 AD. However, Viking attacks continued until the Norman Conquest. A terrible defeat for the Devonians happened at the Battle of Pinhoe in 1001 AD. A few Norse place names, like Lundy Island, remain from this time. The men of Devon are said to have fought the Danes at the Battle of Cynwit in 878 AD. In 894 AD, the Danes tried to attack Exeter but were driven away by King Alfred, though the city was sacked in 1001 AD.

Changes in Church Leadership

Devon was originally part of the bishopric of Winchester. Around 705 AD, it became part of a new bishopric of Sherborne. Then, around 910 AD, it was divided again, and Devon got its own bishopric at Crediton. In 1050 AD, King Edward the Confessor combined Devon and Cornwall, and Leofric became the first Bishop of Exeter.

Devon After the Norman Conquest

Right after the Norman Conquest in 1066, William the Conqueror knew it was important to control the West Country, especially Exeter. The city managed to hold out against an 18-day siege. The new king was only allowed to enter on fair terms.

Powerful Lords and Sheriffs

Many large estates in Devon were given to William's barons. These were called "honours," and included Plympton, Okehampton, Barnstaple, Totnes, and Harberton. In the 12th century, the honour of Plympton and the Earldom of Devon were given to the Redvers family. Later, they passed to the Courtenays, who also got Okehampton and the earldom in 1335. The Dukedom of Exeter was given to the Holland family in the 14th century. Devon also had its own sheriff, who was originally appointed for life but later for only one year.

Conflicts and Challenges

During the civil war in King Stephen’s time, the castles of Plympton and Exeter were held against the king in 1140. Conflicts continued in the 14th and 15th centuries. The French often raided the Devon coast. During the Wars of the Roses, there were many fights between the Lancastrian Earl of Devon and the Yorkist Lord Bonville. In 1470, Edward IV chased his enemies, Warwick and Clarence, as far as Exeter. Warwick eventually escaped to France from Dartmouth. Later, Richard III came to Exeter to punish those who had rebelled against him.

Economic Changes and the Black Death

Dartmoor and Exmoor (mostly in Somerset) were once Royal Forests, meaning they were hunting grounds for the king. The people of Devon paid a large sum of money in 1242 to have these areas "deforested," meaning they were no longer just for hunting. The 11th to 14th centuries saw a lot of economic growth and population increase. However, the Black Death in 1348 and the years after caused a big decline. Many villages, like 12th-century Hound Tor, were abandoned. New settlements were later given to a rising class of tenant farmers. These farmers, like those at the surviving 14th-century Dartmoor longhouse settlement at Higher Uppacott, became successful with large flocks of sheep and cattle. Towns like Totnes became wealthy from the wool and tin trade with Europe during this time.

Devon in Tudor and Stuart Times

Early in Henry VII's reign, a royal pretender named Perkin Warbeck attacked Exeter in 1497. The King himself came to judge the prisoners and thank the citizens for their loyalty.

The Prayer Book Rebellion

Big problems started in Devon when Edward VI introduced the new Book of Common Prayer. In 1549, a priest at Sampford Courtenay was convinced to read the old mass instead. This act of disobedience quickly grew into a serious revolt. The Cornish joined the men of Devon in the Prayer Book Rebellion. Exeter suffered a difficult siege until Lord Russell came to help.

Famous Explorers and the Civil War

Devon is famous for its Elizabethan sailors, like Sir Francis Drake, who was Mayor of Plymouth, Gilbert, Sir Richard Grenville, and Sir Walter Raleigh. Plymouth Hoe is well-known as the place where Drake kept playing bowls even after hearing that the Spanish Armada had been spotted. Plymouth was also the final departure point for the Mayflower in 1620, though most of the settlers were from other parts of England.

During the Civil War, the cities in Devon mostly supported the Parliamentarian side, while the countryside generally supported the Royalists. There was a strong desire for peace in the region. In 1643, a treaty was agreed to stop fighting in Devon and Cornwall. Only small battles continued until Sir Thomas Fairfax captured Dartmouth and Exeter in 1646. He then captured Tiverton and defeated Lord Hopeton's army at Torrington. The last place held for the king was Charles Fort at Salcombe.

The Glorious Revolution

After the Monmouth Rebellion in 1685, Judge Jefferies held one of his 'bloody assizes' (trials with harsh punishments) at Exeter. In 1688, Prince William of Orange first landed in England at Brixham (where his statue stands in the harbor) to start the Glorious Revolution. He was welcomed for several days at Forde and Exeter before traveling to London to become King William III.

Devon in Modern Times

After 1650, Plymouth grew a lot and became the largest city in Devon, mainly because of the naval base at Devonport. Plymouth was a very important naval port in both World War I and World War II. South Devon was used as a training and assembly area for the D-Day landings during World War II. There is a memorial to the many soldiers who died during a practice exercise off Slapton Sands. Both Plymouth and Exeter were badly bombed during the war. Their city centers had to be largely rebuilt in the 1960s.

Weather and Changes

Cold winters were common in the 17th century, with 1676 being especially harsh. Smallpox outbreaks happened in the 1640s, 1710s, and 1760s, causing many deaths. In October 1690, there was an earthquake in Barnstaple. Daniel Defoe wrote about his tour through Devon in the 1720s. He liked South Devon but thought North Devon was wild, barren, and poor.

During the Napoleonic War, a prison was built at Princetown on Dartmoor to hold French and American prisoners of war. This prison is still in use today. In 1842, most people in Devon worked in farming. The population grew in the 19th century, but slower than the rest of England and Wales.

In the 19th and 20th centuries, Devon saw big changes. The tourist industry grew, especially in the area known as the English Riviera. Farming and fishing declined, and more people moved to cities. Many holiday homes appeared, for example, in Salcombe. Devon has become famous for its clotted cream and cider. Dartmoor and Exmoor have become National Parks, protecting their natural beauty. Devon has also experienced many severe storms, including one that largely destroyed the village of Hallsands in 1917.

Devon's Mining History

Devon has been a source of tin, copper, and other metals since ancient times. Until about 1300, it produced more tin than Cornwall, but production decreased when deeper Cornish mines opened. Tin was mostly found on the granite heights of Dartmoor, and copper was found in the surrounding areas. Tin was exported from Mount Batten in prehistoric times. The Dartmoor tin-mining industry thrived for hundreds of years, from pre-Roman times until the early 20th century. In the 18th century, Devon Great Consols mine (near Tavistock) was thought to be the largest copper mine in the world.

The Stannary Parliament

Devon's tin miners had a lot of independence through Devon's stannary parliament, which started in the 12th century. The stannary authority was very powerful, even more so than regular English law at times. This authority applied to both full-time and part-time miners. Until the early 18th century, the stannary parliament met outdoors at Crockern Tor on Dartmoor. The parliament had its own prison at Lydford, which had a reputation for being brutal and unfair (so much so that "Lydford law" became a saying for injustice). It even once jailed an English Member of Parliament during the reign of Henry VIII.

More recently, tin and tungsten have been mined at Hemerdon Ball (near Plymouth). During World War II, the mine was operated to ensure a local supply of these metals. The mine has opened and closed periodically since then and is currently called Drakelands Mine.

Images for kids

A map of British Kingdoms around 800 AD
Maps showing areas held by Royalists (red) and Parliamentarians (yellow) during the English Civil War, 1642–1645
An atlas of Devon by Christopher Saxton from 1575