Why visit Honiton
Townapedia lists 7 museums and landmarks, 10 parks and trails, 42 places to eat, 4 places to stay and 3 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Allhallows Museum, Hembury, Honiton Golf Club and Mountbatten Park.
Weather in Honiton
Forecast from MET Norway (CC BY 4.0). Full forecast
About Honiton
Honiton is a market town and civil parish in East Devon, situated close to the River Otter, 17 miles (27 km) north east of Exeter in the county of Devon. Honiton has a population estimated at 12,154 (based on 2021 census).
From the Wikipedia article Honiton (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Travel tips from other travellers: Honiton on Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Photos of Honiton
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Things to do3
Museums and landmarks7
Hembury
Monument and historic site · 3.5 mi
Hillfort in Devon, England, UK
Pomeroy Wood
Monument and historic site · 2.1 mi
Roman military site in Devon, England, UK
Parks, trails and playgrounds10
Cherry Close Playground
Playground · 1.0 mi
Child & Adult Swings, Small & Large Slides, Climbing Apparatus for Smaller and Older Children, Surface-Level Trampoline, Train and...
Restaurants and cafes42
Boston Tea Party
Cafe · Coffee Shop
53 High Street, Honiton
Mo-Fr 08:00-16:00; Sa 08:00-17:00; Su 09:00-16:00
Mamma Mia
Restaurant · Portuguese
46 High Street, Honiton
Tu-Th 17:00-21:00; Fr 17:00-22:00; Sa 17:00-22:00
The Holt
Bar and pub
178 High Street, Honiton
We 17:00-22:30, Th 17:00-23:00, Fr-Sa 12:00-15:00, 17:00-23:00
Bird's Nest
Restaurant · Chinese
44 High Street, Honiton
Mo-Th 17:00-22:00, Fr 17:00-22:30, Sa 17:00-23:00, Su 17:00-22:30
The Honiton Inn
Bar and pub · 1.8 mi
Mo-Fr 12:00-15:00,18:00-23:00; Sa 12:00-15:00,18:00-23:30; Su 12:00-16:00
Coffee#1
Cafe · Coffee Shop
125 High Street, Honiton
Mo-Fr 07:00-17:30; Sa 07:30-18:00; Su 09:00-17:00
The Kitchen at Combe Garden Centre
Restaurant · 1.5 mi
Hayne Lane, Honiton
Mo-Sa 09:00-16:00; Su 10:00-15:00
30 more on the map.
History
The town grew along the line of the Fosse Way, the ancient Roman road linking Exeter (Isca Dumnoniorum) to Lincoln (Lindum). Contrary to 19th-century theories, it is unlikely to have been known as a stopping-point by the Romans, who built a small fort for that purpose just to the west of the present town. Honiton's location is mentioned in the Domesday Book as Honetone, meaning Huna's tun or farmstead.
Honiton later grew to become an important market town, known for lace making that was introduced by Flemish immigrants in the Elizabethan era. In the 17th century thousands of people produced lace by hand in their homes. In the 19th century the lace trim on Queen Victoria's wedding dress was made of Honiton lace, though the lace itself was made in the fishing village of Beer. The town also became known for its pottery.
In 1747 and 1765 the town was badly damaged by fires. Georgian houses were then built to replace some of those that had been destroyed.
From the History section of Honiton on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
More about Honiton
Arts and culture
Honiton was granted a royal charter in 1221 during the reign of King Henry III that allowed it to hold a market. To celebrate, the town held the Honiton Fair, originally on Allhallows Eve and Allhallows Day (1 November), the date was changed in 1247 to the eve and feast of St Margaret (19/20 July). In order to encourage people to travel to the town from the surrounding area to attend a subsequent fair without fear of arrest for their debts, no arrests for outstanding debts were allowed while the fair took place. At the beginning landed gentry took pleasure in throwing hot chestnuts from windows to local peasants and over time these gave way to hot pennies, a seemingly philanthropic gesture resulting in burns (until the peasants figured out to wear gloves or use a cloth to pick the pennies up).
The Hot Pennies ceremony still takes place annually in the High Street of the town. At noon, the Town Crier, accompanied by the Mayor and other local dignitaries, raises a garlanded pole with gloved hand at the top, and proclaims that "The glove is up. No man may be arrested until the glove is taken down". Pennies are then thrown from a number of balconies in the High Street to crowds of local people. The pole is then kept on display for the following "fair week".
Education
Honiton has two primary schools, Honiton Primary School and Littletown Primary School, as well as a secondary school, Honiton Community College, which included a sixth form up until 2025.
From the Wikipedia article Honiton, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Notable people from Honiton
Joanne PaveyESpañol long-distance runnerPhoto: Nick Webb from London, United Kingdom, CC BY 2.0
Maurice SettersEnglish footballer and manager (born 1936)Photo: Eskil Malmberg, Public domain
Ozias HumphryBritish artist (1742-1810)Photo: Gilbert Stuart, Public domain
Marcus WyattBritish skeleton racerPhoto: Sandro Halank , Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Walter MillerMiller, Walter Richard Samuel (1872–1952), missionaryPhoto: Unknown author Unknown author, Public domain
Charles William BowermanBritish trade unionist and politician (1851-1947)Photo: Bain, Public domain
William Harris MurchBaptist teacherPhoto: George Frederick Clarke, Public domain- Edward Gordon WilliamsBritish rower (1888-1915)
- Rose DugdaleIrish Republican
- William SalterBritish portrait painter (1804-1875)
- George Villiers, 4th Earl of JerseyEnglish earl
- Ryan AshfordEnglish footballer (born 1981)
Born in Honiton, according to Wikidata (CC0). Each name links to its Wikipedia article.
Where to stay4
Churches and places of worship9
Honiton Evangelical Congregational Church
Church · Evangelical
High Street, Honiton
Shopping25
Gas and EV charging2
Schools, colleges and libraries6
Healthcare5
Map of Honiton
113 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Getting there and nearby towns
Exeter Airport (EXT) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 11 miles away.
- Sidmouth 8 mi south, about 13 min by car
- Tiverton 15 mi northwest, about 24 min by car
- Exeter 16 mi west, about 25 min by car
- Teignmouth 22 mi southwest, about 36 min by car
- Kingsteignton 24 mi southwest, about 39 min by car
- Street 30 mi northeast, about 48 min by car
- Minehead 31 mi northwest, about 49 min by car
- Wells 37 mi northeast, about 59 min by car
- Shepton Mallet 39 mi northeast, about 1 h by car
- Cardiff 47 mi north, about 1 h 15 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Towns near Honiton
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Keep exploring
Local news
Headlines from INDB.
Reviews, tips and questions
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Sources and licences
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, coordinates, regions and time zone
- Mapillary (see each image): photos
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Honiton Valley, Jamie DD, CC BY 3.0
- High Street, Honiton (2022-11-04) 30, Simon Cobb, CC0
- High Street, Honiton (2022-11-04) 31, Simon Cobb, CC0
- High Street, Honiton (2022-11-04) 34, Simon Cobb, CC0
- High Street, Honiton (2022-11-04) 43, Simon Cobb, CC0
- High Street, Honiton (2022-11-04) 44, Simon Cobb, CC0
- High Street, Honiton (2022-11-04) 42, Simon Cobb, CC0
- The Trafalgar Way -17 Honiton 20210918 095855, Dcs57, CC BY-SA 4.0
- St James and St Anne's Church, Alfington, Devon, Ashley Smith, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Wolford Chapel, Stevekeiretsu, CC BY-SA 4.0
- The entrance to Honiton Community College, FluffyBegemot, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Deer Park Country House, Maypm, CC BY-SA 4.0
- New Street, Honiton (2022-11-04) 01, Simon Cobb, CC0
- Congregational Church, Honiton (2022-11-04) 03, Simon Cobb, CC0
- High Street, Honiton (2022-11-04) 13, Simon Cobb, CC0
- New Street, Honiton (2022-11-04) 04, Simon Cobb, CC0
- High Street, Honiton (2022-11-04) 68, Simon Cobb, CC0
- Deer-Park-Devon-Exterior-1, Lee Maxwell Photography, CC BY 4.0
- The Angel Hotel 20210918 095911, Dcs57, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Joseph Locke 20210918 095902, Dcs57, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Allhallows Museum, Honiton (2022-11-04) 01, Simon Cobb, CC0
- Hembury Hill I, Ethan Doyle White, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Street-level photo, southglos, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, WaggyDog, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, southglos, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, southglos, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, southglos, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, southglos, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, WaggyDog, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, WaggyDog, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, southglos, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, southglos, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, trigpoint, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, southglos, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, WaggyDog, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, southglos, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, RyanBush, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, RyanBush, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, RyanBush, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, WaggyDog, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, WaggyDog, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, WaggyDog, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, WaggyDog, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, WaggyDog, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, WaggyDog, CC BY-SA 4.0
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