South Hams

South Hams is a local government district on the south coast of Devon, England. It contains the towns of Dartmouth, Kingsbridge, Ivybridge, Salcombe, and Totnes, where the district council has its offices.

To the north it includes part of Dartmoor National Park, to the east borders Torbay, and to the west Plymouth. It contains some of the most unspoilt coastline on the south coast, including the promontories of Start Point, and Bolt Head. The entire coastline, along with the lower Avon and Dart valleys, form most of the South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

The South Hams, along with nearby Broadsands in Paignton, is the last British refuge of the Cirl Bunting.

History

In the Anglo-Saxon era the South Hams was a feudal estate consisting of all of the land between the River Plym and River Dart and south of Dartmoor with the English Channel forming the southern boundary.

In 1917 the village of Hallsands was abandoned after much of it was lost to the sea. This happened because the shingle bank protecting the shore was removed to help build Devonport dockyard [ [http://www.bbc.co.uk/devon/content/articles/2005/06/29/sisters_against_the_sea_feature.shtml Recalling the disaster at Hallsands] from the BBC, 1 July, 2005] .

In 1944 several villages were evacuated so that training for D-day could be carried out in secret. The area was chosen because of the resemblance of its beaches to those of Normandy. Preparations were disrupted, and secrecy nearly compromised, by a devastating E-boat attack during Exercise Tiger.

In 1967 the suburban towns of Plympton and Plymstock were amalgamated with the City of Plymouth.

The current district was formed on April 1, 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972, by the merger of:
* Borough of Dartmouth
* Borough of Totnes
* Kingsbridge Rural District
* Kingsbridge Urban District
* Plympton St Mary Rural District
* Salcombe Urban District
* Totnes Rural District

ettlements

* Ashprington, Aveton Gifford
* Berry Pomeroy, Bickleigh, Bigbury, Bittaford, Blackawton, Brixton, Broadhempston, Buckland-Tout-Saints
* Charleton, Chillington, Chivelstone, Churchstow, Cornwood, Cornworthy
* Dartington, Dartmouth, Dean Prior, Diptford, Dittisham, Dodbrooke
* East Allington, East Portlemouth, Ermington
* Frogmore
* Halwell, Harberton, Harford, Holbeton, Holne
* Ivybridge
* Kingsbridge, Kingston, Kingswear
* Littlehempston, Loddiswell
* Malborough, Marldon, Modbury, Moreleigh
* Newton Ferrers, North Huish
* Rattery, Revelstoke, Ringmore
* Salcombe, Shaugh Prior, Sherford, Slapton, South Brent, South Huish, South Milton, South Pool, Sparkwell, Staverton, Stoke Fleming, Stoke Gabriel, Stokenham
* Thurlestone, Torcross, Totnes
* Ugborough
* Wembury, West Alvington, Woodleigh
* Yealmpton

ee also

* South Hams Radio

References