Newton Abbott
| Newton Abbot | |
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 View over central Newton Abbot taken from Wolborough Hill, July 2005 |
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 Newton Abbot
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| Newton Abbot shown within Devon | |
| Population | 25,556 (2011) |
| OS grid reference | SX860713 |
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| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | NEWTON ABBOT |
| Postcode district | TQ12 |
| Dialling code | 01626 |
| Police | Devon and Cornwall |
| Fire | Devon and Somerset |
| Ambulance | South Western |
| EU Parliament | South West England |
| UK Parliament | |
Newton Abbot is a market town and civil parish on the River Teign in the Teignbridge District of Devon, England, with a population of 25,556.
Newton Abbot holds a historic Cheese and Onion Fayre in honour of Saint Leonard; it was originally held from 5 to 7 November, but is 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 closed in 1981 and is now the site of an industrial estate. The town has a racecourse nearby, the most westerly racecourse in Britain, and has a country park, Decoy.
Traces of Neolithic people have been found at Berry's Wood Hill Fort near Bradley Manor. This was a contour hill fort that enclosed about 11 acres (4.5 ha).Milber Down camp was built before the 1st century BC and was later briefly occupied by the Romans, whose coins have been found there.
The remains of a Norman motte-and-bailey castle, known as Castle Dyke, are on Highweek Hill. A village grew up around the castle, first called Teignwick, and later Highweek – the village on the high ground. Another settlement developed on the low ground around the River Lemon and would become part of Wolborough Manor.
The New Town of the Abbots (of Torre Abbey) was given the right to hold a weekly market on Wednesdays sometime between 1247 and 1251. By 1300 the two settlements were renamed as Newton Abbot (taking the low ground) and Newton Bushel (taking the high ground). On the strength of the market it quickly became a successful thriving town and a good source of income for the Abbots.
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Wikipedia