Mid Devon

Coordinates: 50°54′00″N 3°29′24″W / 50.900°N 3.490°W / 50.900; -3.490

Mid Devon District
—  Non-metropolitan district  —
Mid Devon shown within Devon
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Constituent country	England
Region	South West England
Non-metropolitan county	Devon
Status	Non-metropolitan district
Admin HQ	Tiverton
Incorporated	1 April 1974
Government
- Type	Non-metropolitan district council
- Body	Mid Devon District Council
- Leadership	Alternative - Sec.31 (Conservative)
- MPs	Neil Parish Mel Stride
Area
- Total	222.8 sq mi (577.1 km2)
Area rank	33rd (of 326)
Population (2010 est.)
- Total	76,100
- Rank	292nd (of 326)
- Density	341.5/sq mi (131.9/km2)
- Ethnicity	99.2% White
Time zone	GMT (UTC0)
- Summer (DST)	BST (UTC+1)
ONS code	18UD
OS grid reference	SS9523512287
Website	middevon.gov.uk

Mid Devon is a local government district in Devon, England. Its council is based in Tiverton.

The district was formed under the Local Government Act 1972, on 1 April 1974 by the merger of the borough of Tiverton and Crediton urban district together with Tiverton Rural District, and Crediton Rural District^[1]. It was originally called Tiverton District, but was renamed in 1978 by resolution of the district council.^[2] The main Town in Mid Devon is Tiverton, it is a major, busy town set in the heart of Devon.

Geography

Mid Devon shares borders with several other Devon districts as well as the county of Somerset. Neighbouring districts include Exeter, East Devon, North Devon, Teignbridge, West Devon and Torridge.

Rivers running through Mid Devon

Several rivers run through the district of Mid Devon, including the Exe, the Culm and the Yeo.

Raddon Top

Raddon Top (772 ft.) is a landmark for 20 miles around. Westcote tells us that there was an earthwork on the summit, practically ploughed down even in his day. The views from here are superb, even for Devon.^[3]

Tourism

Grand Western Canal

The Grand Western Canal stretches from Canal Hill in Tiverton to just outside Greenham in Somerset. It no longer operates for trade purposes, but is a popular tourist location. Visitors are able to walk along its banks or take a trip down the canal in a horse drawn barge. A static barge also operates at the Canal Hill end of the canal, offering refreshments. The site is one of two tourism spots owned by Devon County Council.

Exmoor

Exmoor National Park is a national park situated in Mid Devon and Somerset in South West England. The park covers 267 square miles (692 km²) of hilly open moorland. Exmoor is one of the first British National Parks, designated in 1954, and is named after its main river, the River Exe. Several areas of the moor have been declared a Site of Special Scientific Interest.

Devon Railway Centre

The Devon Railway Centre is located at Bickleigh in Mid Devon, on a station site on the closed Great Western Railway branch from Exeter to Dulverton. The Railway operates a 2 ft (610mm) gauge passenger railway and has the largest narrow gauge collection in the South West. An attractive miniature railway is also located at the site. There is also a collection of model railways at the Centre where some of the nation's most famous working layouts can be seen. The original Victorian station has been restored.

Major settlements

Several towns and large villages exist in Mid Devon. The major town is Tiverton, but other towns include Cullompton and Crediton.

References

1. ^ The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Definition) Order 1972 (SI 1972/2039)
2. ^ London Gazette: no. 47488. p. 3251. 14 March 1978.
3. ^ Devon Libraries Local Studies Shobroke Community Page, 22 February 2005