Honiton

infobox UK place
country = England
latitude = 50.797475
longitude = -3.184954
official_name = Honiton
population = 11,200 (2001)
shire_district = East Devon
shire_county = Devon
region = South West England
post_town = HONITON
postcode_district =EX14
postcode_area = EX
dial_code = 01404
constituency_westminster= Tiverton and Honiton
os_grid_reference= ST164004

Honiton is a town in East Devon, situated close to the River Otter, 17 miles northeast of Exeter in the county of Devon. The town's name is pronounced in two ways (hʌnɪtɘn or hɒnitɘn), each pronunciation having its adherents.

History

The town grew along the line of the Fosse Way - the ancient Roman road linking Exeter (Isca Dumnoniorum) to Lincoln (Lindum) on which it was an important stopping point. The location is mentioned in the Domesday Book as "Honetone", meaning a farmstead of a man called Huna. It became an important market town known for its lace making that was introduced by Flemish immigrants in the Elizabethan era. In the 17th century thousands of people produced lace by hand in their homes and later in the 19th Century Queen Victoria had her wedding dress made of Honiton lace. The town also became known for its Honiton pottery.

In the mid 18th century the town was largely destroyed by fire. Georgian houses were then built to replace some of those that had been destroyed. Honiton more than doubled in size between the 1960s and 2005 with most development taking place south of the Exeter to Waterloo railway line.

Features

The size of Honiton in 2005 was approximately 3.2 km². Further development will be limited as Honiton borders the East Devon AONB (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty) to the south and the Blackdown Hills AONB to the north and east. AONBs have the same level of protection as National Parks of England and Wales which restricts new developments.

There are still indications of its history as a centre for lace making, such as places called "Lace Walk" and the "Honiton Lace Shop". Now a Chinese style restaurant, the shop’s role has been filled by “Allhallows Museum.”

St Michael's Parish Church, which was rebuilt in 1911 after a fire, is situated on a small hill above the town. The mid 19th Century St Paul's Church was designed by Charles Fowler and is situated in the centre of the town.

Next to St Paul's Church stands “Allhallows Museum of Lace and Local Antiquities.” Once a chapel; built in the [13th century] it is reputed to be the oldest building in Honiton and also once housed Allhallows School.

Education

Honiton has two primary schools (Honiton Primary School and Littletown Primary School) and Honiton Community College which includes a 6th form.

Shops and leisure facilities

In Honiton there is a sports centre with swimming pool, and just outside the town centre there are shops such as Homebase, Argos and Tesco. Marks & Spencer Simply Foods opened in the town centre in 2006. Honiton has a good number of independent retailers including a bookshop, jewellers, clothing boutiques, butchers, delis and a fishmonger. On Tuesdays and Saturdays, an outdoor market is held on the High Street. Honiton is also popular with antique hunters, boasting over 20 antique shops.

The local football team is Honiton Town F.C. (nicknamed 'the Hun'). It also has a very active youth football section (www.htyfc.co.uk)

Transport

Road

The town is at the junction of the busy A35 the A30 and the A376 roads. The A30 now bypasses the town to the north. Until the bypass's construction in 1966, the town was blighted by traffic congestion.

For Community Transport information contact TRIP Community Transport on 01404 46529

Rail

Honiton railway station is on the West of England Main Line that runs from London Waterloo to Exeter.

Famous Residents

*Ozias Humphry – Miniaturist Artist
*William Salter – Portrait Artist
*Alfred Leyman – Artist and one time art master at Allhallows School, Honiton

Twin towns

* Mézidon-Canon, France
* Gronau-Leine, Germany

External links

* [http://www.midweekherald.co.uk Honiton Midweek Herald]
* [http://www.honiton.gov.uk/ Honiton Town Council]
* [http://dmoz.org/Regional/Europe/United_Kingdom/England/Devon/Honiton/ Honiton (DMOZ.org)]
* [http://www.devon-online.com/towns/honiton/honiton.htm Honiton - Devon Online]
* [http://www.school-portal.co.uk/GroupHomepage.asp?GroupID=21531 Honiton Community College]
* [http://www.honitonmuseum.co.uk/index.htm Honiton Allhallows Museum]
* [http://www.htyfc.co.uk - Honiton Town Youth Football Club Official Website]