Ashburton
Ashburton is a refined town on the edge of Dartmoor in Devon. It is close to the A38 and was formerly a centre for the administration of tin-mining.
The town's past prosperity is based on tin and the woollen industry with the river providing ample power for the many mills that once lined its banks. Ashburton is one of only four Stannary Towns in Devon and tin was mined in the area as far back as Roman times.
Ashburton remains the largest town within Dartmoor National Park, and has a population of over 3,000. There is some history to the town of Ashburton, which is believed to have first been settled in Saxon times. Many finds have been unearthed around the area, some dating back as early as 3000 B.C. but there is no evidence of a settlement here until around 500 B.C. The town was named in the doomsday book during the civil war and after their defeat, Royalist troops fled to the town of Ashburton and used it as a temporary refuge.
Ashburton is also home to one of the oldest surviving carnivals in Devon. It is believed to have begun to raise funds for a new hospital in the mid 1800’s however written evidence of the carnival only dates back to 1891.
Ashburton has many fine buildings including the parish church, built in the 15th century, which features sculptures by C. E. Kempe and Saint Gulval’s well named after St Wolvela.
Among its less distinguished clams to fame is the fact that Ashburton was the first place to elect a candidate of the “Official Monster Raving Loony Party” to public office. They elected a local publican, Alan Hope, in 1989, whom later on became deputy mayor and susequently Mayor of Ashburton.