A County in the South West of England
Note that Devon (the county) is properly pronounced by Devonians as something along the lines of "De'm'n", very hard to type.
Area: 6,707 km²
Population: 1,101,600 (2004)
Capital: Exeter
Other Major Population Centres: Dartmouth,Exmouth, Newton Abbot, Okehampton, Plymouth, Tavistock, Torquay, Honiton. (presented alphabetically)
Flag: A Green (Pantone 348) background divided into quarters by a white cross outlined in black. The Green represents the colour of the rolling and lush Devon hills, the Black represents the high and windswept Moors (Dartmoor and Exmoor) and the White represents both the salt spray of Devon's two coastlines and the China Clay/Kaolin industry (and mining in general).*
General Description:
Devon is located in the British Westcountry and is largely a tourist county, with Dartmoor taking up around three quarters of it it has room for little else. Devon contains many places of interest, here are just a few:
Dartmoor: A rugged and windswept terrain that matches its harshness with a beauty that tuggs at the heart strings. This is a special place and the multitudes of standing stones and caerns bear witness to this long held belief. Dartmoor is also home to the wild Dartmoor Pony.
Exeter: A historic town, originaly a Roman fort, later handed over to the civilians. Developed into a Saxon settlement where is was the scene for a grand showdown between Alfred the Great and the Vikings. Now a lovely cathedral town with a pleasent shopping centre and gorgeous quay.
Plymouth: A large naval town which was the staging point for the Pilgrim Fathers' voyage to America. It played a pivotal role in the English Civil War, staying Parlimentarian throughout despite constant attack. Plymouth is blessed by its wonderful surroundings, much of which can be reached by short boatrides from the beautiful Barbican or old-town area.
Dartmouth: A small town with an amazing history, when faced with a full French invasion without the menfolk the women and children led by a retired Pirate fought them off - can you beat that? Dartmouth is a lovely quiet town with a wonderful artistic community and picturesque medieval fortifications built on a seemingly perfect bay.
Torquay: A unique seaside town with a clifftop railway, a series of caverns open to the public, a miniature village and some lovely parks. Torquay posseses an astonishing coastline, one that can now be truly appreciated thanks to Paignton Zoo's new Living Coastline project which is facinating both for inquiring adults (i.e., noders) and children (ditto). Torquay is also famous for being home to the famous crimewriter Agatha Christie.
Paignton: Paignton is famous for many reasons, by far the biggest has to be the amazing zoo, one of the largest in the country and the subject of many a TV programme. Also of interest to the visitor is the local Steam train and Oldway Mansions, said to be Britain's answer to the French 'Hall of Mirrors'.
Buckfast Abbey: An Abbey still inhabited by Monks with a beautiful, huge, church which is large enough to be a cathedral - all built by hand by six Monks. The Abbey is open for the public to enjoy the lovely gardens, eat at the restaurant, and partake of the many products of the Abbey.
* Flag description partly taken from the Devon Flag Group: http://members.fortunecity.com/devonflaggroup/