Yelverton, Devon
Encyclopedia
Yelverton is a large village on the south-western edge of Dartmoor
, Devon
, in England
.
When the village's railway station (on the Great Western Railway
(GWR) line from Plymouth to Tavistock) opened in the 19th century, the village became a popular residence for Plymouth commuters. The railway is now closed, but the Plym Valley Railway
has reopened a section of it.
Yelverton is well known for "the rock" - a prominent 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
at the centre of the village was settled in late Victorian and Edwardian times, with 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 as Leg o' Mutton Corner.
At the beginning of the Second World War, an airfield (RAF Harrowbeer
) was constructed at adjacent Harrowbeer 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 is still very clear and although they 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 airmen and anti-aircraft battery units were stationed here during the second half of the war.
To the south of the village is 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.
Former Sadlers Wells Ballet star Maureen Bruce
lives in Yelverton.
The present Ravenscroft Care Home was built as a private house but in the 1930s became Ravenscroft School
and during the Second World War was the officers' mess of RAF Harrowbeer.
Dartmoor
Dartmoor is an area of moorland in south Devon, England. Protected by National Park status, it covers .The granite upland dates from the Carboniferous period of geological history. The moorland is capped with many exposed granite hilltops known as tors, providing habitats for Dartmoor wildlife. The...
, Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
, in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
When the village's railway station (on the Great Western Railway
Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
(GWR) line from Plymouth to Tavistock) opened in the 19th century, the village became a popular residence for Plymouth commuters. The railway is now closed, but the Plym Valley Railway
Plym Valley Railway
The Plym Valley Railway is part of the closed South Devon and Tavistock Railway near Plymouth, a branch line of the Great Western Railway in Devon.The Plym Valley Railway is currently rebuilding the Marsh Mills to Plym Bridge section of the line...
has reopened a section of it.
Yelverton is well known for "the rock" - a prominent 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
Roundabout
A roundabout is the name for a road junction in which traffic moves in one direction around a central island. The word dates from the early 20th century. Roundabouts are common in many countries around the world...
at the centre of the village was settled in late Victorian and Edwardian times, with 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 as Leg o' Mutton Corner.
At the beginning of the Second World War, an airfield (RAF Harrowbeer
RAF Harrowbeer
RAF Harrowbeer was a World War II Royal Air Force airfield situated in the parish of Buckland Monachorum, Devon in the UK.-Location:RAF Harrowbeer was located approximately nine miles NNE of the city of Plymouth and approximately six miles south of Tavistock, and also sits within the boundary of...
) was constructed at adjacent Harrowbeer as a fighter station for the air defence of Devonport Dockyard
HMNB Devonport
Her Majesty's Naval Base Devonport , is one of three operating bases in the United Kingdom for the Royal Navy . HMNB Devonport is located in Devonport, in the west of the city of Plymouth in Devon, England...
and the Western Approaches
Western Approaches
The Western Approaches is a rectangular area of the Atlantic ocean lying on the western coast of Great Britain. The rectangle is higher than it is wide, the north and south boundaries defined by the north and south ends of the British Isles, the eastern boundary lying on the western coast, and the...
. 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 is still very clear and although they 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 airmen and anti-aircraft battery units were stationed here during the second half of the war.
To the south of the village is Langton Park, home of Yelverton Bohemians Cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
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
Seth Lakeman
Seth Bernard Lakeman is an English folk singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, who is most often associated with the fiddle and tenor guitar, but has also mastered the viola and banjo...
, the Mercury Music Prize nominee, comes from Yelverton.
Former Sadlers Wells Ballet star Maureen Bruce
Maureen Bruce
Maureen Bruce was a principal dancer with the Sadler's Wells Theatre Ballet and the Sadler's Wells Ballet. Born in Edinburgh on 1 May 1930, she trained with Marjorie Middleton in Edinburgh, joined the Wells School in September 1947 and graduated to the Sadler's Wells Theatre Ballet in December of...
lives in Yelverton.
The present Ravenscroft Care Home was built as a private house but in the 1930s became Ravenscroft School
Ravenscroft School (Somerset)
Ravenscroft School was an independent day and boarding school, initially for boys only, but from 1964 co-educational. From 1945 onwards its premises were in Somerset, England...
and during the Second World War was the officers' mess of RAF Harrowbeer.