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Chagford, England

Chagford
Chagford's famous ironmongery stores, Webbers and Bowdens.jpg
Chagford's ironmongery stores, Webbers and Bowdens
Chagford is located in Devon
Chagford
Chagford
Chagford shown within Devon
Area 11.7 sq mi (30 km2
Population 1,449 (2011 Census)
• Density 125.6/sq mi (48.5/km2)
OS grid reference SX700876
• London 194 miles (312 km)
Civil parish
  • Chagford
District
Shire county
Region
Country England
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town NEWTON ABBOT
Postcode district TQ13
Dialling code 01647
Police Devon and Cornwall
Fire Devon and Somerset
Ambulance South Western
EU Parliament South West England
UK Parliament
Website http://www.chagford-parish.co.uk
List of places
UK
England
Devon
50°40′22″N 3°50′25″W / 50.6728°N 3.8404°W / 50.6728; -3.8404Coordinates: 50°40′22″N 3°50′25″W / 50.6728°N 3.8404°W / 50.6728; -3.8404

Chagford is a market town and civil parish on the north-east edge of Dartmoor, in Devon, England, close to the River Teign. It is located off the A382, about 4 miles (6 km) west of Moretonhampstead. The name Chagford is derived from the word chag, meaning gorse or broom, and the ford suffix indicates its importance as a crossing place on the River Teign. At the 2001 Census it had a population of 1,470 which decreased at the 2011 census to 1,449.

Archaeological remains confirm that a community has existed here for at least 4000 years. In historical times, Chagford grew due to the wool trade and from tin mining in the area. A weekly market was held here from before 1220, and a livestock market in the town survived until the 1980s. In 1305 it was made a stannary town where tin was traded. Among the most prominent tin-mining families in the 16th century were the Endecotts, Knapmans, Whiddons and Lethbridges.

In a Civil War skirmish Sydney Godolphin, the poet and Royalist MP for Helston, was shot and killed in the porch of the Three Crowns.

In 1987, the New Scientist reported that Chagford contained "the most radioactive loo in the world", a reference to the high levels of Radon gas in this granite area.

The parish of Chagford comprises historic estates including:

Today Chagford is a thriving community with high property prices, busy streets, and an unusually wide range of shops for a town of this size, although not immune to national trends having lost its post office and banks. Two large hardware stores side-by-side in the town square were run by the same two families for over a century, but one of these closed in 2017. It is also known for its arts community, celebrated through the autumn Chagford Film Festival, the springtime Chagword literary festival (every two years), the summer's Chagstock Music Festival, the annual Wonderworks crafts weekend, and other regular cultural events. There are several tea rooms and whole food cafés, one Bangladeshi restaurant, and four pubs. There are numerous guest houses and hotels in the surrounding countryside. These provide accommodation for the large influx of visitors during the year.


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Wikipedia

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