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Tiverton

Tiverton is a medium sized town (approximately 17,000) in mid to east Devon. It is situated between two rivers, the River Exe and the River Lowman. The name Tiverton is in fact derived from having two fords leading to Twy ford town and then Twyverton.

Although there is evidence of Iron Age settlements in the area, Tiverton dates back to Saxon times when it was a royal estate. After the Norman invasion, the Tiverton castle was built overlooking the River Lowman in 1106. The castle remained the dominant force in the town until it was besieged during the Civil war.

Like much of Devon, Tiverton developed as a town during the wool trade. The merchants put the money back into the town and there are some fine buildings including churches, almshouses and town museum. When the wool trade went into decline with the industrial revolution, John Heathcoat-Amory opened a mill and lace factory in the area which revived the towns fortunes. His 19th Century home Knighthayes Court is nearby.

For the visitor, Tiverton offers a number of interesting sites to visit. The excellent tavel links also make it a good base to explore the surrounding area and it is within reach of both the Jurassic coast and Exmoor.

Hotels in Tiverton