Wilmington, Devon
Encyclopedia
Wilmington is a village between Axminster
and Honiton
in East Devon
on the A35 road
.
The village is now in the parish of Widworthy although this is a recent change. Prior to 1989 houses on the north side of the A35 were in Offwell
Parish and only those on the south side were in Widworthy. St Cuthberts Church dates from the 14th century and nearby Castle Hill
is of historical interest.
From the 15th century onwards Wilmington sat astride the main Exeter
to London
road. It became the Honiton to Axminster Turnpike
in 1765 but the importance of this route diminished when the Upottery
to Ilminster
turnpike opened in 1807 which led to a steady improvement in coaching facilities in the early 19th century on what is now the A30/A303 route over the Blackdown Hills
from Honiton to Ilminster.
In 1805 the village street rang to the clatter of horses hooves as messengers raced through with news of the Battle of Trafalgar
. In 2005 this historic event was marked by the unveiling of this plaque on the White Hart Inn. The plaque records details of the messengers and remembers local men who fought at the Battle.
The Trafalgar Way
climbs out of Honiton onto the ridge by way of Springfield Lane before descending into Wilmington along the A35. It passes through Wilmington village before leaving the A35 again and climbing steeply up Moorcox Lane to Moorcox Cross. From there it descends the next ridge to Shute Pillars and then passes through Shute Woods along the line of an old Roman Road into Kilmington
.
Axminster
Axminster is a market town and civil parish on the eastern border of Devon in England. The town is built on a hill overlooking the River Axe which heads towards the English Channel at Axmouth, and is in the East Devon local government district. It has a population of 5,626. The market is still...
and Honiton
Honiton
Honiton is a town and civil parish in East Devon, situated close to the River Otter, north east of Exeter in the county of Devon. The town's name is pronounced in two ways, and , each pronunciation having its adherents...
in East Devon
East Devon
East Devon is a local government district in Devon, England. Its council is based in Sidmouth, and the largest town is Exmouth.The district was formed on 1 April 1974 by the merger of the borough of Honiton with the urban districts of Budleigh Salterton, Exmouth, Ottery St. Mary, Seaton, Sidmouth...
on the A35 road
A35 road
The A35 is a trunk road in southern England, running from Honiton in Devon, that then passes through Dorset and terminates in Southampton, Hampshire...
.
The village is now in the parish of Widworthy although this is a recent change. Prior to 1989 houses on the north side of the A35 were in Offwell
Offwell
Offwell is a village and civil parish in East Devon in the English county of Devon, approximately 2 miles south-east from the nearest town Honiton. Offwell can be accessed by the nearby A35 Road....
Parish and only those on the south side were in Widworthy. St Cuthberts Church dates from the 14th century and nearby Castle Hill
Castle Hill, Torrington
There are two hills named Castle Hill within the immediate environs of Great Torrington in Devon, England. The first is within the town and is the site of the Norman & mediaeval castles, but was probably an Iron Age hill fort before this....
is of historical interest.
From the 15th century onwards Wilmington sat astride the main Exeter
Exeter
Exeter is a historic city in Devon, England. It lies within the ceremonial county of Devon, of which it is the county town as well as the home of Devon County Council. Currently the administrative area has the status of a non-metropolitan district, and is therefore under the administration of the...
to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
road. It became the Honiton to Axminster Turnpike
Turnpike trust
Turnpike trusts in the United Kingdom were bodies set up by individual Acts of Parliament, with powers to collect road tolls for maintaining the principal highways in Britain from the 17th but especially during the 18th and 19th centuries...
in 1765 but the importance of this route diminished when the Upottery
Upottery
Upottery is a small settlement in Devon, England.RAF Upottery is a former World War II airfield in East Devon, England. The airfield is located approximately 6 miles north-northeast of Honiton; about 140 miles southwest of London-External links:...
to Ilminster
Ilminster
Ilminster is a country town and civil parish in the countryside of south west Somerset, England, with a population of 4,781. Bypassed a few years ago, the town now lies just east of the intersection of the A303 and the A358...
turnpike opened in 1807 which led to a steady improvement in coaching facilities in the early 19th century on what is now the A30/A303 route over the Blackdown Hills
Blackdown Hills
The Blackdown Hills are a range of hills along the Somerset-Devon border in south-western England, which were designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in 1991....
from Honiton to Ilminster.
Battle of Trafalgar
The Battle of Trafalgar was a sea battle fought between the British Royal Navy and the combined fleets of the French Navy and Spanish Navy, during the War of the Third Coalition of the Napoleonic Wars ....
. In 2005 this historic event was marked by the unveiling of this plaque on the White Hart Inn. The plaque records details of the messengers and remembers local men who fought at the Battle.
The Trafalgar Way
Trafalgar Way
The Trafalgar Way is the name given to the historic route used to carry dispatches with the news of the Battle of Trafalgar overland from Falmouth to the Admiralty in London. The first messenger in November 1805 was Lieutenant Lapenotiere, of HMS Pickle, who reached Falmouth on 4 November after a...
climbs out of Honiton onto the ridge by way of Springfield Lane before descending into Wilmington along the A35. It passes through Wilmington village before leaving the A35 again and climbing steeply up Moorcox Lane to Moorcox Cross. From there it descends the next ridge to Shute Pillars and then passes through Shute Woods along the line of an old Roman Road into Kilmington
Kilmington, Devon
Kilmington is a village near Axminster in East Devon off the A35 road.It includes Coryton, a brick house with Portland stone dressings built in 1754-6 by Benedictus Marwood Tucker, sheriff of Devon in 1763. Some remains of the older mansion can also be seen at Old Coryton.The parish church of St...
.