Totnes
Totnes shown within Devon
Population	8000 (2001 census estimate)
OS grid reference	SX805605
District	South Hams
Shire county	Devon
Region	South West
Constituent country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	TOTNES
Postcode district	TQ9
Dialling code	01803
Police	Devon and Cornwall
Fire	Devon and Somerset
Ambulance	South Western
European Parliament	South West England
UK Parliament	Totnes
List of places: UK • England • Devon

Coordinates: 50°25′56″N 3°41′02″W / 50.43216, -3.68391

Totnes (pronounced /ˈtɒtnɨs/ or /tɒtˈnɛs/) is a market town in South Devon, England. Devon is a large county in the South West of England. The county is also referred to as Devonshire, but that is an entirely unofficial name In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology The British national grid reference system is a system of geographic grid references commonly used in Great Britain, different from using Latitude and Longitude The districts of England are a level of subnational division of England used for the purposes of local government History In the Anglo-Saxon era the South Hams was a feudal estate consisting of all of the land between the River Plym and River Dart and south of Metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties are one of the four levels of Subdivisions of England used for the purposes of Local government outside Greater London Devon is a large county in the South West of England. The county is also referred to as Devonshire, but that is an entirely unofficial name The region, also known as the government office region, is currently the highest tier of local government sub-national entity of England, with only one South West England is one of the Regions of England. It is the largest such region in terms of area and extends from Gloucestershire and Wiltshire to Constituent country is a phrase used often by official institutions in contexts in which a country makes up a part of a larger entity or grouping England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland This list of sovereign states, alphabetically arranged gives an overview of States around the world with information on the extent of their Sovereignty. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located A post town is a required part of all postal addresses in the United Kingdom, and a basic unit of the postal delivery system UK Postal codes are known as postcodes. UK postcodes are Alphanumeric. The, also known as the Torquay postcode area, is a group of postal districts around Brixham, Buckfastleigh, Dartmouth, Kingsbridge The UK Telephone numbering plan, also known as the National Telephone Numbering Plan, is the system used for assigning Telephone numbers in the United There are a number of law enforcement agencies in the United Kingdom. Devon and Cornwall Constabulary is the Home Office Police force responsible for policing the counties of Devon and Cornwall in The fire service in the United Kingdom operates under separate legislative and administrative arrangements in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service is the statutory fire and rescue service or FRS, covering the counties of Devon and Somerset; it Divisions & Stations The trust is split into 2 divisions West - Devon and Cornwall including West Divisional HQ 999 and PTS Control at South West England is a Constituency of the European Parliament. This is a list of the 646 constituencies currently represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, as at the 2005 general election Totnes is a County constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. A Gazetteer of place names in the United Kingdom showing each place's County, Unitary authority or council area and its geographical coordinates List of places --> List of cities in the United Kingdom List of towns in England Lists of places This is a list of settlements and places of interest in Devon, England. A geographic coordinate system enables every location on the Earth to be specified in three coordinates using mainly a spherical coordinate system. Devon is a large county in the South West of England. The county is also referred to as Devonshire, but that is an entirely unofficial name England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland

Indications of Totnes' former wealth and importance are given by the number of merchants' houses built in the 16th and 17th centuries, one open to the public as the town museum. The remains of the Norman Totnes Castle (now owned by English Heritage) may also be visited. For other buildings in Normandy see Architecture of Normandy. Totnes Castle is one of the best preserved examples of a Norman Motte and bailey castle in England. English Heritage is a Non-departmental public body of the United Kingdom government ( Department for Culture Media and Sport) with a broad remit of It was built during the reign of William I. William I of England ( 1027 His reign which brought Norman culture to England had an enormous impact on the subsequent course of England in the Middle Ages Equally notable is the late medieval church of St Mary built of rich red Devonian stone. The ancient Leechwell (so named because of the supposed medicinal properties of its water, and apparently where lepers once came to wash) still provides fresh water, and is preserved from former days. The Leechwell is a set of three springs in Totnes, Devon, England. At the western edge of the town is the Dartington Hall Estate, which includes the Schumacher College and Dartington College of Arts. Dartington Hall, near Totnes, Devon, United Kingdom, is a medieval Hall built between 1388 and 1400 for John Holand Earl of Huntingdon Schumacher College was founded in 1991 in Dartington, Totnes, Devon, UK by Satish Kumar amongst others Dartington College of Arts is a specialist arts institution near Totnes, Devon, South West England, specialising in post- Dramatic Theatre

the Dart at Totnes

A prominent feature of the town is the Eastgate — an arch spanning the middle of the main street. This Elizabethan entrance to the walled town was destroyed in a fire in September 1990, before being rebuilt. Romance and reality The Victorian era and the early twentieth century idealised the Elizabethan era The town is built on a hill above the River Dart, which divides Totnes from the suburb of Bridgetown, and is tidal up to Totnes, where it meets a 17th century weir. The River Dart is a River in Devon, England which rises high on Dartmoor, and releases to the sea at Dartmouth. Bridgetown is a part of Totnes, Devon. It is divided from Totnes itself by the River Dart, and came into existence as a result of the first bridge being It provides navigation to seagoing boats and until 1995 was used for the import and export of goods.

Totnes railway station is situated on the London to Penzance Line, and has trains direct to London and Plymouth. Totnes railway station serves the towns of Totnes and Dartington in Devon, England. The Reading-Plymouth line is the central part of the trunk Railway line between London Paddington and Penzance railway stations in the southern London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. Plymouth ( is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England about south west of London. Totnes is the southern end of the South Devon Railway Trust which runs a tourist steam locomotive from Buckfastleigh. The South Devon Railway Trust is a Charitable organization that operates a Heritage railway from Totnes to Buckfastleigh in Devon, A steam locomotive is a Locomotive powered by Steam. The term usually refers to its use on Railways but can also refer to a "road locomotive" Buckfastleigh is a small Market town in Devon, England on the A38 at the edge of Dartmoor National Park. The A38 passes within 10km. The A38 is a major Trunk road in England. Though formally known as the Exeter - Leeds Trunk Road it actually runs from Bodmin in Cornwall Today Totnes is also a thriving centre for music, art, theatre and natural health, and its blend of traditional and alternative culture lends it an atmosphere. Totnes has a reputation of being a haven for "new age" people. New Age ( New Age Movement and New Age Spirituality) is a Social Collective Phenomenon and a Spiritual Nature There is a sizeable alternative community, and the town is known as a place where one can live a bohemian lifestyle. The term bohemian, of French origin was first used in the English language in the nineteenth century to describe the untraditional lifestyles of marginalized and impoverished Artists There are a number of facilities for artists, painters and musicians, and at the twice-weekly market you buy antiques, musical instruments, second-hand books, handmade clothing from across the world, and local organically produced products.

History

the Brutus Stone in Totnes

According to local legend, Totnes was the site where Brutus of Troy, the mythical founder of Britain, first came ashore on the island. Brutus ( Brut, Brute, Welsh Bryttys) a legendary descendant of the Trojan hero Aeneas, was known in medieval British legend Indeed, eagle-eyed visitors can see the 'Brutus Stone' set into the pavement of the High Street; the stone onto which he is reputed to have stepped from his ship. Nennius' version of the Old Chronicles states that there were already some relatives of Brutus in possession of Alban, and presumably at the tin-mines in Cornwall, before the arrival of Brutus. Nennius, or Nemnivus, is either of two shadowy personages traditionally associated with the history of Wales.

Totnes High Street in 1983

Despite this legendary history, the first authenticated history of Totnes is in AD 900, when it was fortified as part of the defensive ring of castles built around Devon by King Alfred the Great, replacing one built a few years earlier at nearby Halwell. Alfred the Great (also Ælfred from the Old English Ælfrēd ˈælfreːd (c

The origin of the name Totnes itself is unclear. It may either be Celtic or Saxon in origin, but is thought to refer to a lookout (Anglo-Saxon tota) on a "headland" (A-S naess, "ness"); this refers to the hill upon which stand Fore Street, High Street and, at its summit, the town's motte and bailey castle which was built during the reign of William the Conqueror. nA motte-and-bailey is a form of Castle. Many were built in Britain, Ireland and France in the 11th and 12th centuries favored as a relatively William I of England ( 1027 His reign which brought Norman culture to England had an enormous impact on the subsequent course of England in the Middle Ages In early medieval times the low-lying areas around this hill were largely marsh or tidal wetland, giving the hill much more the appearance of a "ness" than today.

Totnes' borough charter was granted by King John, probably around 1206; at any rate, the 800th anniversary of the charter was celebrated in 2006. John (24 December 1167 &ndash 19 October 1216 reigned as a King of England from 6 April 1199 until his death Totnes lost its borough status in local government reorganisation in 1974. As a former borough and mint, Totnes was once a place of some significance. A mint is an industrial facility which manufactures Coins for Currency.

Totnes was served by Totnes electoral borough from 1295 until the reform act of 1867, but was restored by the 1884 Franchise Act. The constituency of Totnes was abolished a second time in 1983, and formed part of the South Hams constituency until 1997, when it was restored as the Totnes constituency. History In the Anglo-Saxon era the South Hams was a feudal estate consisting of all of the land between the River Plym and River Dart and south of Totnes is a County constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.

The Totnes Pound

Totnes has become noted in the UK as the first town to introduce its own local alternative currency, the Totnes Pound, in order to support the local economy of the town. The Totnes pound is an alternative Local currency, intended to support the local economy of Totnes, a town in Devon, UK. It is widely used within the town and a lot of the local business prefer trading with the Totnes pound. The initiative is part of the Transition Towns concept, which was pioneered by Rob Hopkins, who happened to recently move to Totnes. Transition Towns is a movement that was founded in Kinsale, Ireland and Totnes, England by environmentalist Rob Hopkins during 2005 and 2006

Notable people

Notable people from Totnes include:

• The explorer William John Wills of the Burke and Wills expedition fame was born in Totnes. W J Willsjpg|thumb|right|214px| Lithograph of William John Wills]] William John Wills ( 5 January 1834 – June 1861 was an English surveyor who In 1860-61 Robert O'Hara Burke and William John Wills led an expedition of 19 men with the intention of crossing Australia from Melbourne in the south to A memorial to Wills was erected, using the money from public subscriptions, in 1864. It can still be seen on the Plains. There were originally two gas lamps attached to the monument, but both have since been removed.
• Charles Babbage had a strong family connection with the town and returned to attend the grammar school for a period before going up to Cambridge.
• Admiral Sir Frederick Michell KCB (1788-1873) died in Totnes.
• Hebrew scholar, Benjamin Kennicott was also born in Totnes. Benjamin Kennicott ( April 4, 1718 &ndash September 18, 1783) was an English churchman and Hebrew scholar
• William Stumbels, a clockmaker lived and worked in Totnes in the 18th century. Stumbles is a Family name probably originating in the United Kingdom but nowadays also found in Australia, South Africa, Zimbabwe, (His workshop was possibly at No. 4 Castle Street, within the town walls. ) Two of his clocks: a longcase (grandfather) and a turret clock are displayed in the museum. A longcase clock, also tall-case clock, grandfather clock or floor clock, is a freestanding weight-driven Pendulum clock with the ^[1]
• John Prince was vicar of Totnes in the late 17th Century, was author of The Worthies of Devon, a major biographical work. John Prince (1643-1723 was vicar of Totnes and Berry Pomeroy in Devon, England, and was a biographer of the late seventeenth and He was also involved in a scandal, the court records of which have been made into a book, The Curious Sexual Adventure of the Reverend John Prince. This book has now also been adapted for the stage.
• Pop music prankster Jimmy Cauty (one half of The KLF) was born in Totnes. James Cauty (commonly known as Jimmy or Jimi Cauty, also known as Rockman Rock) is a British artist and musician born in Totnes, Devon ^[2]
• Novelist Mary Wesley, author of The Camomile Lawn, spent her final years in Totnes. Mary Aline Mynors Farmar, CBE (24 June 1912 - 30 December 2002 better known as Mary Wesley, was a British Novelist. The Camomile Lawn (1984 is a novel by Mary Wesley about the lives of Richard and Helena Cuthbertson and their five nieces and nephews Calypso Walter Polly
• Humorous poet Matt Harvey is a resident. Matt Harvey is a British humourist and Performance poet who has published a number of books and makes regular contributions to radio broadcasts.
• William Brockedon, Artist and inventor, 1787-1854. William Brockedon (1787-1854 was a 19th century English painter. Son of Philip Brockedon, Clockmaker.
• Joseph Mount, a musician who records under the name Metronomy, lived in Totnes for a while. Joseph Patrick Kennith Mount, from Totnes in Devon, born September 11 1982, is the creative force behind British band Metronomy. Metronomy are an Electronic music group formed by Joseph Mount in Totnes, Devon, England in 1999.
• The novelist Desmond Bagley lived in Totnes from 1964 to 1976. Desmond Bagley ( 29 October 1923 Kendal - 12 April 1983 Southampton) was a UK journalist and novelist principally
• Historian James Anthony Froude, author of ''History of England From the fall of cardinal Wolsey to the Defeat of the Spanish Armada, was born in Totnes. James Anthony Froude (Froude rhymes with rood) (23 April 1818 &ndash 20 October 1894 was a controversial English Historian, Novelist, His brother Richard Hurrell Froude was a theologian; he originated the Tractarian or Oxford Movement which created the High Church. Richard Hurrell Froude ( 25 March, 1803 - 28 February, 1836) was an Anglican priest and an early leader of the Oxford Movement. " High Church " relates to Ecclesiology and Liturgy in Anglican theology and practice
• Botanist Francis George Heath was born in Totnes.
• Margaret Isherwood, writer on religion and education, lived in Totnes. She wrote several books including Searching for Meaning and The Root of the Matter.
• Linguist Edward Lye, who wrote the first dictionary of Anglo-Saxon, was born in Totnes.
• Playwright Sean O'Casey lived in the town from 1938 to 1964. Seán O'Casey ( Irish Seán Ó Cathasaigh (30 March 1880 &ndash 18 September 1964 was a major Irish dramatist and Memoirist A committed irish
• Critic, author and playwright Allen Saddler lives in Totnes.
• Vian Smith was born in Totnes, lived in the area for most of his life (excepting war service), and wrote extensively on Dartmoor.
• Rik Mayall previously lived in Totnes. Richard Michael "Rik" Mayall (born 7 March, 1958) is an English Actor, Writer and Comedian. ^[3]

Miscellany

St Marys Church

• Totnes is twinned with the French town of Vire, after which Vire Island nearby the 'Plains' is named. Vire is a commune and the seat of a canton of the Calvados département in the Basse-Normandie region of
• King Edward VI Community College is the local secondary school which shares its name with the former grammar school set up by King Edward VI over 450 years ago. Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational Institution where the final stage of compulsory schooling known as Secondary education, takes
• In March 2007 Totnes launched a local currency, the Totnes Pound, accepted as legal tender at some shops^[4]

See also

• Dartington
• Dartington Hall

References

External links

• Totnes Tourist Information
• Totnes museum
• Shiny hippy people (The Observer)
• Battle to save celebrated cradle of cutting edge art (The Guardian)