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Kingsteignton
Kingsteignton changed its status from that of parish to a town. This offically took effect from the 1st January 2009. found just off the A380, and at the head of the Teign Estuary. It is ideally located for communting to the cities of Exeter or Plymouth, whilst only a few miles from the sea or moorland. There are some lovely thatched buildings and picturesque parts of Kingsteignton. It is twinned with Orbec/Les Vespierre, France, a small medieval market town in Calvados Normandy. Orbec lies in the Orbiquet valley in the Auge Sous La Pluie (Gardens in the Rain) Founded in the early 8th Century as the Saxon Estate between Teignmouth and Manaton. It was a key settlement providing rich pickings for Danish raiders who came in 1001. Kingsteignton is situated at the head of the Teign Estuary, the village is the long established centre of the clay industry. Medieval prosperity funded the re-building of the parish church in the 15th century, its 85 foot tower being constructed in the 1480`s, From the medieval period to the mid-19th century the parish church held an impotant position as the mother church of Highweek and Newton Bushell. The springs at Rydon were the only established water supply in the Middle Ages. The fairwater Leat, fed by the springs fed by the springs at Rydon, superseded the Honeywell Spring as the established water supply in the Middle Ages. A drought in the Middle Ages is said to haven given rise to the annual Ram Roasting Fair. With insufficient water to baptise a child, a ram was sacrificed to the gods of the local spring. Water sprang forth and a ram has been roasted ever since at the fair. The fair is held each Whit Monday (the last bank holiday Monday in May). In 1509 the Manor of Kingsteignton, which had been a crown demense until the 13th Century, passed into the hands of the Clifford family, who held the title of Lord of the Manor. A quirk of geology deposited fine quality ball clays on the eastern edge og the Bovey Basin some 30 - 40 million years ago. Their exploitation was boosted in 1791 when Josiah Wedgewood first purchased Kingsteignton clay. Over the past 20 years clay mining has bought continued employment and prosperity to Kingsteignton.
Kingsteignton Town Council Website: http://www.kingsteignton.gov.uk/42/Homepage.aspx | You are viewing results 1 to 11 of 11 |
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