Yelverton, Devon

infobox UK place
latitude= 50.48407
longitude= -4.08751
country = England
official_name= Yelverton
population=
shire_county = Devon
shire_district= West Devon
region= South West England
os_grid_reference = SX5267
dial_code=
post_town=
postcode_area=
postcode_district=
constituency_westminster=

Yelverton is a large village on the south western edge of Dartmoor, Devon, in England.

The construction of the railway line, and Yelverton railway station, during the 19th century meant that it became a popular residence for Plymouth commuters - the line was run by the Great Western Railway (GWR). The line is now closed, but the Plym Valley Railway has reopened a section of it.

Yelverton is well known for "the rock" - a large visible mass of stone close to the Plymouth road on the fringe of nearby Roborough Down. It gave its name to the Rock Hotel, built as a farm during the Elizabethan period, but converted in the 1850s to cater for growing tourism in the area. The area to the south and west of the roundabout which everyone regards as the centre of the village was settled in late Victorian and Edwardian times resulting the building in many grand and opulent villas. An area developed at about the same time on an odd shaped piece of land to the south of the Tavistock road is known to all as Leg o' Mutton Corner.

At the beginning of the Second World War, a large airfield was constructed at adjacent Harrabeer as a fighter station for the air defence of Devonport Dockyard and the Western Approaches. A 19th century terrace of houses, then mostly converted into shops, had to have its upper storey removed to provide an easier approach. One tall building which was not altered was Yelverton Church, but unfortunately the tower was hit by a plane, resulting in a warning light being fitted. The layout of the runways are still very clear and although these are substantially grassed over the many earth and brick protective bunkers built to protect the fighters from attack on the ground, are all still in place. Many American airman and anti-aircraft battery units were stationed here during the second half of the war.

To the south of the village is located Langton Park, home of Yelverton Bohemians Cricket Club and about 0.5 km south is the accurately named Moorland Links Hotel serving the Yelverton Golf Club where most of the holes run well down the open moorland to the east.

Yelverton has a paperweight museum.

Seth Lakeman, the Mercury Music Prize nominee comes from Yelverton.

External links

* [http://www.devon.gov.uk/etched?url=etched/ixbin/hixclient.exe&_IXP_=1&_IXR=110499 Yelverton Community Page]