Colyton Guide East Devon

UK City Guides: Colyton, Devon

Calming Colyton, Devon

Colyton Town Hall. — The Colyton Town Hall, East Devon

Colyton in East Devon is a pretty village with a history dating back to the Saxon period or possibly even before. The town is set in a picturesque rural area near the River Coly and is surrounded by some lush Devon countryside. It is located not far from the East Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the stunning Jurassic Coast.

History

The village of Colyton dates back until at least the Saxon period. It was and still is an important agricultural center. The settlement was mentioned in the Norman Domesday Book of 1086 as Culitone. The town, happily, still retains its original medieval layout with narrow, winding streets and several fine, historic, stone buildings.

Historic Colyton once had a corn mill, iron foundry and saw mill. The oak bark tannery is still in use today. It may date back to even Roman times. The mill has been run by the Baker family for over 160 years and is the sole oak bark tannery in Britain!

Colyton is also known as 'the most rebellious town in Devon' as it supplied more men to the Duke of Monmouth's failed rebellion of 1685 than any other place in the area.

In total 105 men chose to follow the ill-fated duke. Monmouth landed at Lyme Regis, with just 82 followers in June of 1685 and soon raised over 4,000 men to his cause. However, lacking support from local landowners and gentry, his army of largely peasants was routed at the Battle of Sedgemoor, in Somerset. Monmouth, a Dutch-born English nobleman with a claim to the throne, escaped the defeat but was soon captured and later beheaded in rather grisly fashion on Tower Hill in London.

The historic oak bark tannery. — The historic oak bark tannery

Multiple water channels also once ran throughout the village. Theses culverts ran to the three mills that used to exist in the town in times long past. Many of them are now sadly blocked and overgrown.

Attractions

The Grade I Listed St Andrew's Church, Colyton, Devon. — The Grade I Listed St Andrew's Church, Colyton, Devon

St Andrew's Church is a Grade I listed church. It dates back originally to Norman times. The impressive lantern tower was added in the 14th century or later and can be seen from nearly everywhere in Colyton. It contains eight bells which are rung on Sundays. On top of the tower is a 20 kg copper weathercock. The inspiration for the tower is believed to be the tower of Bruges Town Hall in Belgium, familiar to the wool merchants of Colyton.

The church's treasures include The Courtenay monument in the chancel. The monument depicts Margaret Beaufort, granddaughter of John of Gaunt. She married Thomas Courtenay (Thomas de Courtenay), the 5th Earl of Devon. Early legends had it representing Margaret - the daughter of William Courtenay and Catherine (the daughter of Edward IV).

The village is surrounded by some lovely Devon countryside. — The village is surrounded by some lovely Devon countryside

The annual Colyton Carnival & Goose Fayre in September features a market and an illuminated street parade. Highlights include demonstrations of traditional country crafts, cider pressing and falconry. In addition, there are fun Punch & Judy shows and riding the quintain (jousting) for the kids. A traditional ram roast and other refreshments help sustain hungry participants.

The Goose Fayre is held on Springfield, Seaton Road.

A culvert that once ran to one of the three mills that used to exist in the town. — A culvert that once ran to one of the three mills that used to exist in the town

Goods From Japan delivered to your home or business. — Goods From Japan delivered to your home or business

Eat & Drink

The Gerrard Arms and Kingfisher Inn are the two pubs in the town. Dating back to 1506, The Gerrard Arms is the oldest pub in the village. It offers fine ales and local Devon cider plus a lovely, relaxing garden space. The Kingfisher Inn on Dolphin Street also has a relaxing beer garden. Enjoy its selection of fine food and a delicious drinks menu.

Bear Bread guesthouse. — Bear Bread Bakery

Accommodation

Exeter, the nearest large city, offers a range of accommodation options to suit all budgets and tastes. Choose from a range of hotels and guest houses in Exeter including the four-star Mercure Exeter Southgate Hotel, the four-star Southernhay House Hotel, and Jurys Inn Exeter, also a four-star hotel.

See here for a complete list of accommodation in Exeter.

Lyme Regis (7 miles away) also has numerous hotels, B&B's and guest houses available for the tens of thousands of tourists who visit each year. Recommended places to stay include the boutique Hotel 1 Lyme, Dorset House on Pound Road, the nearby Mariners Hotel on Silver Street, Westwood Guest House on Woodmead Road, the Fernhill Hotel in Charmouth and a little north of Lyme, The Trinity.

See here for a full listing of hotels, self-catering apartments and guest houses in the Lyme area.

If you wish to stay in or around Colyton itself try the Bear Bread Bakery - a B&B - The White Cottage, with pleasant garden or the Dolphin Hotel - in nearby Beer.

Glebe House in Southleigh is an upmarket property with a Michelin star. It is a former Georgian vicarage and now a 15-acre smallholding with a kitchen garden.

The converted Colyton Station on the Seaton Tramway. — The converted Colyton Station on the Seaton Tramway

Access - Getting There

25 miles east of Exeter on the A30, Colyton village (population around 2,000) is also within easy reach of Branscombe Beach, Beer, Honiton, Seaton and the popular resort of Lyme Regis.

Tram

The Seaton Tramway connects Seaton, Colyford and Colyton. Open-top Seaton Trams run 4.8 km past the Axe Estuary and Seaton Marshes to Colyton on a line that was purchased from British Rail after Seaton's rail link was cut in the 1960s.

The line has stations at Seaton tram station, Riverside Depot and Halt, Seaton Wetlands Halt, Colyford tram station and Colyton tram station.

Rail

The nearest mainline railway stations to Colyton are Honiton (9 miles away) and Axminster (6 miles) which both have trains from Exeter St David's Station and Waterloo Station in London.

Bus

The 885 bus runs between Beer and Axminster via Seaton and Colyton.

The new X30 bus links Exeter Bus Station with Colyton via Clyst Honiton, and Colyford before arriving in Seaton.

The X51 bus service connects Weymouth, Dorchester, Bridport, Lyme Regis and Axminster.

The X52 bus service connects Weymouth, Abbotsbury, Swyre, and Bridport.

The X53 bus service links Weymouth, Abbotsbury, Swyre, Bridport, Lyme Regis and Axminster.

Beaminster is a 45-minute drive on the B3165. Bridport and its beautiful beach is only 35 minutes on the A35.

Air

The nearest airport to Colyton is Exeter International Airport, only 5 miles to the east of Exeter city near Clyst Honiton off the A30.

The airport has regular domestic flights to Aberdeen, Alicante, Belfast, Edinburgh, Guernsey/Jersey, the Isles of Scilly, Leeds Bradford, Manchester and Newcastle.

International destinations include Amsterdam, Dubrovnik, Dublin, Faro, Funchal, Geneva, Hannover, Larnaca, Nice, Palma, Paris, Malaga and Salzburg.