Copywriters in Chagford

Chagford

Newton Abbot is a market town in Devon, England on the River Teign, with a population of 23,580 (2001 census).

Newton Abbot has a racecourse and boasts three country parks: Decoy, Stover (situated well away from the town) and Bradley.

Part of Newton Abbot's heritage is the historic Cheese and Onion Fayre, originally held from the 5th to 7th of November in honour of Saint Leonard, but now celebrated at the beginning of September.

The town grew very rapidly in the Victorian era as it was home to the South Devon Railway locomotive works. This later became a major steam engine shed and was retained to service British Railways diesel locomotives, although it has now closed and is the site of an industrial estate.

The centre of the town features the ancient tower of St Leonard. The tower is all that remains of the medieval chapel of St Leonard, founded in 1220 and first referred to in 1350 in a document of the Bishop de Grandisson of Exeter, the main chapel being demolished in 1836.

Adjacent to the tower is a plaque marking the spot where the first declaration of the newly arrived William III, Prince of Orange was read in 1688.

It reads "The first declaration of William, Prince of Orange, the glorious defender of the Protestant Religion and the liberties of England, was read on this pedestal by the Rev John Reynall, Rector of this parish, on November 5th 1688." Although William arrived in Brixham on the 5th November he did not reach Newton Abbot until the 6th November when he stayed overnight in the town at Forde House as he made his way to London to assume the English throne.

Forde House (now known as Old Forde House) is situated in the southeast corner of the town. The present house was built in 1610 by Richard Reynell (who later became Sir Richard Reynell) and his wife Lucy.

The house was built with an E-shaped floor plan, which is thought to be in honour of Queen Elizabeth I, who had recently died. The grounds were originally quite extensive, and included the whole of what is called Decoy (so named, because wildfowl were decoyed there to extend the house's larder), as well as a deer park.

In 1625 King Charles I stayed at the house overnight on his way to inspect the fleet at Plymouth. He returned a few days later and stayed for a further two nights.

Forde House gave shelter to Oliver Cromwell and Colonel Fairfax while on their way to besiege Royalist Dartmouth in 1646.

In 1648 the estate passed onto the Courtenay family via the marriage of Margaret (the only daughter of Jane Reynell and Sir William Waller) to Sir William Courtenay, who was the lord of nearby Powderham Castle.

William of Orange stayed at the house in 1688 on the way to his coronation in London, having landed in Brixham a few days earlier.

The house remained the main residence of a succession of Courtenays until 1762 when the house was let to a succession of occupiers.

The Courtenay family sold the house in 1936 to Mr Stephen Simpson, who sold it two years later to Mrs M Sellick. Teignbridge District Council bought the house in 1978 and remain the current owners. It has been refurbished by the Council and is now used as office and conference space as well as being used for weddings and other events.

John Passmore Edwards originally wanted to have a hospital built for the town in memory of his mother, who was born there. However as the town already had a hospital, he decided on a public library, which was opened in 1904.

The building is one of the most impressive in Newton Abbot, and originally housed both the library and a Science, Art and Technical School (which the Council wanted to include). The building was designed by the Cornish architect Silvanus Trevail. The style is elaborate Renaissance, and much use is made of yellow terracotta mouldings over the windows and doorways.

Passmore Edwards donated £2,500, while the County Council and a public subscription paid for the rest of the building.

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