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{{Short description|Region of England}} {{About|the region|the former European constituency|South West England (European Parliament constituency)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2024}} {{Use British English|date=August 2024}} {{Infobox settlement | name = South West | settlement_type = [[Regions of England|Region]] | image_skyline = {{multiple image |border=infobox |perrow=2 |total_width=250 |align=center | image1 = Clifton Suspension Bridge 2.jpg | image2 = Castle combe river.jpg | image3 = Stonehenge2007 07 30.jpg | image4 = Newquay Cornwall-IMG 7747.jpg | image5 = Bath, England (38162201235).jpg | image6 = Crazywell cross 1.JPG | image7 = Torquay harbour october 2012.jpg | image8 = Durdle Door - geograph.org.uk - 4158927.jpg }} | imagesize = | image_alt = | image_caption = From top, left to right: [[Clifton Suspension Bridge]] in [[Bristol]]; the [[Cotswolds]]; [[Stonehenge]]; [[Newquay]]; [[Bath, Somerset|Bath]]; [[Dartmoor]]; [[Torquay]]; [[Durdle Door]] | image_flag = | flag_alt = | image_shield = | shield_alt = | shield_link = | image_blank_emblem = | blank_emblem_size = | blank_emblem_type = | blank_emblem_link = | etymology = | nickname = | motto = | image_map = South West England in England.svg | map_alt = | map_caption = South West region shown within [[England]] | coordinates = {{coord|50.96|-3.22|region:GB-ENG_type:adm1st|display=inline,title}} | subdivision_type = [[Sovereign state]] | subdivision_name = [[United Kingdom]] | subdivision_type1 = [[Countries of the United Kingdom|Country]] | subdivision_name1 = [[England]] | subdivision_type2 = | subdivision_name2 = | subdivision_type3 = | subdivision_name3 = | subdivision_type4 = | subdivision_name4 = | established_title = [[Government Offices for the English regions|GO]] established | established_date = 1994 | established_title1 = [[Regional development agency|RDA]] established | established_date1 = 1998 | established_title2 = GO abolished | established_date2 = 2011 | established_title3 = RDA abolished | established_date3 = 31 March 2012 | named_for = | seat_type = | seat = |parts_type = Subdivisions |parts = {{Collapsible list |title=7 [[Ceremonial counties of England|counties]] | [[Bristol]] | [[Cornwall]] | [[Devon]] | [[Dorset]] | [[Gloucestershire]] | [[Somerset]] | [[Wiltshire]] }} {{Collapsible list |title=2 [[combined authority]] | [[West of England Combined Authority|West of England]] | [[Devon and Torbay Combined County Authority|Devon and Torbay CCA]] }} {{Collapsible list |title=27 [[Districts of England|districts]] | 13 [[Unitary authorities of England|unitary]] | 14 [[Non-metropolitan district|non-metropolitan]] in 2 [[non-metropolitan county|non-metropolitan counties]] }} <!-- Government --> | government_footnotes = <ref name="Leaders' board">{{cite web |url=https://swcouncils.gov.uk/ |title=Home - South West Councils |website=South West Councils |access-date=10 August 2024}}</ref> | government_type = [[Local authority leaders' board]] | governing_body = [[South West Councils]] | leader_title = | leader_name = | leader_title1 = | leader_name1 = | leader_title2 = | leader_name2 = | leader_title3 = | leader_name3 = | leader_title4 = [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|MP]]s | leader_name4 = [[Parliamentary constituencies in South West England|55 MPs]] (of 650) <!-- Area --> <!-- ALL fields with measurements have automatic unit conversion --> | area_footnotes = <ref name="ONS Standard Area Measurement">{{cite web |url=https://geoportal.statistics.gov.uk/datasets/ons::standard-area-measurements-latest-for-administrative-areas-in-the-united-kingdom/about |title=Standard Area Measurements (Latest) for Administrative Areas in the United Kingdom |date=24 April 2024 |website=[[ONS Open Geography Portal|Open Geography Portal]] |publisher=Office for National Statistics |access-date=6 May 2024 }}</ref> | area_total_km2 = 24386 | area_land_km2 = {{UK subdivision area|GSS=E12000009}} | area_water_km2 = | area_rank = [[Regions of England#List of regions|1st]] <!-- of English regions --> <!-- Population --> | population_footnotes = <ref name="popstats">{{UK subdivision statistics citation}}</ref> | population_as_of = {{UK subdivision statistics year}} | population_total = {{UK subdivision population|GSS=E12000009}} | population_rank = [[Regions of England#List of regions|6th]] <!-- of English regions --> | population_density_km2 = {{UK subdivision density|GSS=E12000009}} | population_demonym = <!-- demographics (section 1) --> | demographics_type1 = Ethnicity <span style="font-weight:normal;">([[2021 United Kingdom census|2021]])</span> | demographics1_footnotes = <ref name="2021 Nomis">{{NOMIS2021 |id=E12000009 |title=South West Region |access-date=14 August 2023}}</ref> | demographics1_title1 = [[Ethnic groups in the United Kingdom|Ethnic groups]] | demographics1_info1 = {{Collapsible list | 93.1% [[White people in the United Kingdom|White]] | 2.8% [[British Asians|Asian]] | 2.0% [[Mixed (United Kingdom ethnicity category)|Mixed]] | 1.2% [[Black British people|Black]] | 0.9% [[Ethnic groups in the United Kingdom|other]] }} <!-- demographics (section 2) --> | demographics_type2 = Religion <span style="font-weight:normal;">(2021)</span> | demographics2_footnotes = <ref name="2021 Nomis"/> | demographics2_title1 = [[Religion in England|Religion]] | demographics2_info1 = {{Collapsible list | 46.2% [[Religion in England#Christianity|Christianity]] | 44.1% [[Irreligion in the United Kingdom|no religion]] | 1.4% [[Islam in England|Islam]] | 0.5% [[Hinduism in England|Hinduism]] | 0.4% [[Buddhism in England|Buddhism]] | 0.1% [[Sikhism in England|Sikhism]] | 0.1% [[History of the Jews in England|Judaism]] | 0.6% [[Religion in England|other]] | 6.5% not stated }} | timezone1 = [[Greenwich Mean Time|GMT]] | utc_offset1 = +0 | timezone1_DST = [[British Summer Time|BST]] | utc_offset1_DST = +1 <!-- Codes --> | postal_code_type = [[Postcodes in the United Kingdom|Postcode areas]] | postal_code = | area_code_type = [[Telephone numbers in the United Kingdom|Dialling codes]] | area_code = | iso_code = | blank1_name = [[International Territorial Level|ITL code]] | blank1_info = TLK | blank2_name = [[GSS coding system|GSS code]] | blank2_info = E12000009 | website = }} '''South West England'''<!--Not "Southwest"-->, or the '''South West of England''', is one of the nine official [[regions of England|regions]] of [[England]] in the [[United Kingdom]]. Additionally, it is one of four regions that altogether make up [[Southern England]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Wayback Machine |url=http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/documents/345175/7451602/nuts-map-UK.pdf |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20231014105132/https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/documents/345175/7451602/nuts-map-UK.pdf |archive-date=2023-10-14 |access-date=2025-01-29 |website=ec.europa.eu}}</ref> South West England consists of the counties of [[Cornwall]] (including the [[Isles of Scilly]]), [[Dorset]], [[Devon]], [[Bristol]], [[Gloucestershire]], [[Somerset]] and [[Wiltshire]]. Cities and large towns in the region include [[Bath, Somerset|Bath]], [[Bristol]], [[Bournemouth]], [[Cheltenham]], [[Exeter]], [[Gloucester]], [[Plymouth]] and [[Swindon]]. It is geographically the largest of the nine regions of England with a land area of {{convert|{{UK subdivision area|GSS=E12000009}}|km2|order=flip}}, but the third-least populous, with an estimated {{UK subdivision population|GSS=E12000009}} residents in {{UK subdivision statistics year}}.<ref name="popstats" /> The region includes the [[West Country]] and much of the ancient kingdom of [[Wessex]]. It includes two entire [[national parks of England and Wales|national parks]], [[Dartmoor]] and [[Exmoor]] (a small part of the [[New Forest]] is also within the region); and four [[List of World Heritage Sites in the United Kingdom|World Heritage Sites]]: [[Stonehenge]], the [[Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape]], the [[Jurassic Coast]] and the [[Bath, Somerset|City of Bath]]. The northern part of Gloucestershire, near [[Chipping Campden]], is as close to the Scottish border as it is to the tip of Cornwall.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://southwest-ra.gov.uk/media/SWRA/RSS%20Documents/Final%20Draft/draftrssfull.pdf |title=South West Regional Assembly, Draft Regional Spatial Strategy for the South West, para.1.1.1 |access-date=24 May 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120304203728/http://www.southwest-ra.gov.uk/media/SWRA/RSS%20Documents/Final%20Draft/draftrssfull.pdf |archive-date=4 March 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref> The region has by far the longest coastline of any English region. Following the abolition of the [[South West Regional Assembly]] in 2008 and [[Government Offices for the English Regions|Government Office]] in 2011, [[South West Councils]] provide local government coordination in the region. [[Bristol]], [[South Gloucestershire]], and [[Bath and North East Somerset]] are part of the [[West of England Combined Authority]]. The region is known for its rich [[folklore]], including the legend of [[King Arthur]] and [[Glastonbury Tor]], as well as its traditions and customs. Cornwall has its own language, [[Cornish language|Cornish]], and some regard it as a [[Celtic nations|Celtic nation]]. The South West is known for [[Cheddar cheese]], which originated in the [[Somerset]] village of [[Cheddar, Somerset|Cheddar]]; Devon [[cream tea]]s, [[crab]]s, [[pasty|Cornish pasties]], and [[cider]]. It is home to the [[Eden Project]], [[Aardman Animations]], the [[Glastonbury Festival]], the [[Bristol International Balloon Fiesta]], [[trip hop]] music and Cornwall's [[surfing]] beaches. The region has also been home to some of Britain's most renowned writers, including [[Daphne du Maurier]], [[Agatha Christie]] and [[Enid Blyton]], all of whom set many of their works here, and the South West is also the location of [[Thomas Hardy's Wessex]], the setting for many of his best-known novels. ==Geography== {{Politics of England}} [[File:High Willhays.jpg|thumb|[[High Willhays]] on [[Dartmoor]], Devon, the region's highest point]] ===Geology and landscape=== Most of the region is located on the [[South West Peninsula]], between the [[English Channel]] and [[Bristol Channel]]. It has the longest coastline of all the English regions, totalling over {{convert|700|mi|km|-1}}.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://southwest-ra.gov.uk/media/SWRA/RSS%20Documents/Final%20Draft/draftrssfull.pdf |title=South West Regional Assembly, Draft Regional Spatial Strategy for the South West, paras.1.1.3 and 7.2.1 |access-date=24 May 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120304203728/http://www.southwest-ra.gov.uk/media/SWRA/RSS%20Documents/Final%20Draft/draftrssfull.pdf |archive-date=4 March 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref> Much of the coast is now protected from further substantial development because of its environmental importance, which contributes to the region's attractiveness to tourists and residents. Geologically the region is divided into the largely [[igneous rock|igneous]] and [[metamorphic rock|metamorphic]] west and [[sedimentary rock|sedimentary]] east, the dividing line slightly to the west of the [[River Exe]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dartmoor-npa.gov.uk/sheet_1e-b.pdf|title=Information Sheet 1E: The Dartmoor granite and associated igneous rocks|publisher=Dartmoor National Park Authority|access-date=9 September 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091115033241/http://www.dartmoor-npa.gov.uk/sheet_1e-b.pdf|archive-date=15 November 2009|url-status=live}}</ref> Cornwall and West Devon's landscape is of rocky coastline and high moorland, notably at [[Bodmin Moor]] and [[Dartmoor]]. These are due to the [[granite]] and [[slate]] that underlie the area. The highest point of the region is [[High Willhays]], at {{convert|2038|ft|m|0}}, on [[Dartmoor]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.peakbagger.com/peak.aspx?pid=9545|title=High Willhays|publisher=Peakbagger.com|access-date=9 September 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120119074848/http://www.peakbagger.com/peak.aspx?pid=9545|archive-date=19 January 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> In North Devon the slates of the west and limestones of the east meet at [[Exmoor]] National Park. The variety of rocks of similar ages seen has led to the county's name being given to that of the [[Devonian]] period. The east of the region is characterised by wide, flat clay [[Valley|vale]]s, and [[chalk]] and [[limestone]] [[downland]]. The vales, with good irrigation, are home to the region's dairy agriculture. The [[Blackmore Vale]] was [[Thomas Hardy]]'s "Vale of the Little Dairies";<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thisisdorset.co.uk/westerngazette/news/Direct-Dorset-Producer-case-study/article-612470-detail/article.html|title=Direct From Dorset Producer case study|date=16 January 2009|work=Western Gazette|publisher=This is Dorset|access-date=9 September 2009}}</ref> another, the [[Somerset Levels]] was created by reclaiming wetlands.<ref name="robinwilliams">{{cite book |last1=Williams |first1=Robin |first2=Romey |last2=Williams |title=The Somerset Levels |year=1992 |publisher=Ex Libris Press |location=Bradford on Avon |isbn=0-948578-38-6 }}</ref> The [[Southern England Chalk Formation]] extends into the region, creating a series of high, sparsely populated and archaeologically rich downs, most famously [[Salisbury Plain]], but also [[Cranborne Chase]], the [[Dorset Downs]] and the [[Purbeck Hills]]. These downs are the principal area of [[arable land|arable agriculture]] in the region. Limestone is also found in the region, at the [[Cotswolds]], [[Quantock Hills]] and [[Mendip Hills]], where they support sheep farming.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Duff |first1=K.L. |first2=A.P.|last2= McKirdy |first3= M.J. |last3=Harley |title=New sites for old: A students guide to the geology of the east Mendips |year=1985 |publisher=Nature Conservancy Council |isbn=0-86139-319-8 }}</ref> All of the principal rock types can be seen on the [[Jurassic Coast]] of Dorset and East Devon, where they document the entire [[Mesozoic]] era from west to east.<ref name="UNESCO">{{cite web | year = 2001 | url = http://whc.unesco.org/pg.cfm?cid=31&id_site=1029 | title = Dorset and East Devon Coast | publisher = UNESCO World Heritage Centre | access-date = 14 January 2007 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121024084244/http://whc.unesco.org/pg.cfm?cid=31&id_site=1029 | archive-date = 24 October 2012 | url-status = live }}</ref> ===Climate=== {{Main|Climate of south-west England}} The climate of South West England is classed as [[Oceanic climate|oceanic]] (''Cfb'') according to the [[Köppen climate classification]]. The oceanic climate typically experiences cool winters with warmer summers and precipitation all year round, with more experienced in winter. Annual rainfall is about {{convert|1000|mm}} and up to {{convert|2000|mm}} on higher ground.<ref name="weather"/> Summer maxima averages range from {{convert|18|°C}} to {{convert|22|°C}} and winter minimum averages range from {{convert|1|°C}} to {{convert|4|°C}} across the south-west.<ref name="weather">{{cite web|title=South West England: climate |work=Met Office |url=http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/climate/uk/sw/ |access-date=14 March 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110605003222/http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/climate/uk/sw/ |archive-date= 5 June 2011 }}</ref> It is the second windiest area of the United Kingdom, the majority of winds coming from the south-west and north-east.<ref name="weather"/> Government organisations predict the region to rise in temperature and become the hottest region in the United Kingdom.<ref name="future">{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/cornwall/8108383.stm|title=South west faces temperature jump|date=19 June 2009|work=BBC News|access-date=25 June 2009}}</ref> Inland areas of low altitude experience the least amount of precipitation. They experience the highest summer maxima temperatures, but winter minima are colder than the coast. Snowfalls are more frequent in comparison to the coast, but less so in comparison to higher ground.<ref name="weather"/> It experiences the lowest wind speeds and sunshine total in between that of the coast and the moors. The climate of inland areas is more noticeable the further north-east into the region. In comparison to inland areas, the coast experiences high minimum temperatures, especially in winter, and it experiences slightly lower maximum temperatures during the summer. Rainfall is the lowest at the coast and snowfall is rarer than the rest of the region. Coastal areas are the windiest parts of the peninsula and they receive the most sunshine. The general coastal climate is more typical the further south-west into the region. Areas of [[moorland]] inland such as: [[Bodmin Moor]], [[Dartmoor]] and [[Exmoor]] experience lower temperatures and more precipitation than the rest of the southwest (approximately twice as much rainfall as lowland areas), because of their high altitude. Both of these factors also cause it to experience the highest levels of snowfall and the lowest levels of sunshine. Exposed areas of the moors are windier than lowlands and can be almost as windy as the coast. ===Regional identity=== The boundaries of the South West region are based upon those devised by central government in the 1930s for civil defence administration and subsequently used for various statistical analyses. The region is also similar to that used in the 17th-century [[Rule of the Major-Generals]] under [[Oliver Cromwell|Cromwell]]. (For further information, see [[Historical and alternative regions of England]]). By the 1960s, the South West region (including Dorset, which for some previous purposes had been included in a Southern region), was widely recognised for government administration and statistics. The boundaries were carried forward into the 1990s when regional administrations were formally established as Government Office Regions. A [[South West Regional Assembly|regional assembly]] and [[South West of England Regional Development Agency|regional development agency]] were created in 1999, then abolished in 2008 and 2012 respectively. It has been argued{{by whom|date=August 2022}} that the official South West region does not possess a cultural and historic unity or identity of itself, which has led to criticism of it as an "artificial" construct. The large area of the region, stretching as it does from the Isles of Scilly to Gloucestershire, encompasses diverse areas which have little more in common with each other than they do with other areas of England. The region has several TV stations and newspapers based in different areas, and no single acknowledged regional "capital". Many people in the region have some level of a "South West" or "West Country" regional identity, although this may not necessarily correspond to an identification with the official government-defined [[Regions of England|region]]. It is common for people in the region to identify at a national level (whether [[English nationalism|English]], [[British nationalism|British]], [[Cornish nationalism|Cornish]] or a county, city or town level). Identifying as being from 'the Westcountry', amorphous though it is, tends to be more predominant further into the peninsula where the status of being from the region is less equivocal.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.ucl.ac.uk/spp/publications/unit-publications/94.pdf | title=The Cornish Question: Devolution in the South-West Region | last=Sandford | first=Mark | publisher=UCL | access-date=12 February 2011 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110221191805/http://www.ucl.ac.uk/spp/publications/unit-publications/94.pdf | archive-date=21 February 2011 | url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.scribd.com/doc/13785851/Regional-Spaces-Spaces-of-Regionalism-Territory-Insurgent-Politics-and-the-English-Question |title=Regional Spaces: Spaces of Regionalism, Territory, Insurgent Politics and the English Question |publisher=Scribd.com |date=31 March 2009 |access-date=24 May 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120118042520/http://www.scribd.com/doc/13785851/Regional-Spaces-Spaces-of-Regionalism-Territory-Insurgent-Politics-and-the-English-Question |archive-date=18 January 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref> In particular, [[Cornwall]]'s inclusion in the region is disputed by Cornish nationalists.<ref>{{cite web |author=Cornish Constitutional Convention |url=http://www.cornishassembly.org/caseforcornwall.htm |title=Campaign for a Cornish Assembly |publisher=Cornishassembly.org |access-date=24 May 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120310230049/http://www.cornishassembly.org/caseforcornwall.htm |archive-date=10 March 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref> The cross-party [[Cornish Constitutional Convention]] and Cornish nationalist party [[Mebyon Kernow]] have campaigned for a [[Cornish Assembly]] ever since the idea of regional devolution was put forward. ===Settlements=== The South West region is largely rural, with small towns and villages; a higher proportion of people live in such areas than in any other English region. There are two major regional cities in terms of population, which are Bristol and Plymouth (although Bristol is larger by some consideration), and two major conurbations which are the South East Dorset Conurbation (Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole) and the Bristol Metropolitan Conurbation (which includes the City of Bristol and areas of South Gloucestershire). [[File:Pulteney Bridge, Bath 2.jpg|alt=A three arch stone bridge with buildings on it, over water. Below the bridge is a three step weir and pleasure boat.|thumb|upright=0.75|[[Pulteney Bridge]] in Bath, Somerset: the entire city is a World Heritage Site]] Cities and Towns with specific tourist and cultural sites of interest include Bath, Bristol, Salisbury, Plymouth, Exeter, Cheltenham, Gloucester and Weston-super-Mare, as well as the county of Cornwall on a widespread scale. The region is home to eleven universities: [[University of Bath]], [[University of Exeter]], [[University of Bristol]], [[Bournemouth University]], [[Falmouth University]] (Cornwall), [[University of Plymouth]], [[University of the West of England]], [[University of Gloucestershire]] (Gloucester and Cheltenham), [[Arts University Bournemouth]], [[Bath Spa University]], [[Plymouth Marjon University]], and [[Royal Agricultural University]] (Cirencester). [[File:Cambray Place, Cheltenham (geograph 7343989).jpg|thumb| [[Cheltenham]]]] The largest cities and towns in order of population are: #[[Bristol]] (483,000) #[[Plymouth]] (278,000) #[[Bournemouth]] (196,000) #[[Swindon]] (184,000) #[[Poole]] (152,000) #[[Exeter]] (135,000) #[[Gloucester]] (132,000) #[[Cheltenham]] (119,000) #[[Bath, Somerset|Bath]] (94,000) #[[Weston-super-Mare]] (82,000) #[[Paignton]] (68,000) #[[Torquay]] (65,000) #[[Taunton]] (60,000) #[[Weymouth, Dorset|Weymouth]] (53,000). #[[Yeovil]] (50,000) #[[Salisbury]] (42,000) #[[Bridgwater]] (41,000) #[[Kingswood, South Gloucestershire|Kingswood]] (41,000) The largest conurbations are: # City of Bristol and surrounds, sometimes called [[Greater Bristol]] or "Bristol Built-up Area", which includes parts of [[South Gloucestershire]] (617,000) # [[South East Dorset conurbation]], covering Bournemouth, Poole and [[Christchurch, Dorset|Christchurch]] (467,000) # Plymouth (301,000) #[[Gloucester#Geography|Gloucester Urban Area]], covering Gloucester and Innsworth (169,000) #[[Torbay]], covering Torquay, Paignton and Brixham (122,000) The population of the South West in 2009 was about five million.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.southwestrda.org.uk/region/population.shtm|title=Population|publisher=South West RDA|access-date=9 September 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090904094452/http://www.southwestrda.org.uk/region/population.shtm|archive-date=4 September 2009|url-status=live}}</ref> ===Transport=== The region lies on [[List of railway lines in Great Britain#South West|several main line railways]]. The [[Great Western Main Line]] runs from [[Paddington railway station|London Paddington]] to [[Bristol Temple Meads railway station|Bristol]], [[Exeter St Davids railway station|Exeter]], [[Plymouth railway station|Plymouth]], and [[Penzance railway station|Penzance]] in the far west of Cornwall. The [[South West Main Line]] runs from [[London Waterloo railway station|London Waterloo]] and [[Southampton Central railway station|Southampton]] to [[Bournemouth railway station|Bournemouth]], [[Poole railway station|Poole]] and [[Weymouth railway station|Weymouth]] in Dorset. The [[West of England Main Line]] runs from London Waterloo to Exeter via south Wiltshire, north Dorset and south Somerset. The [[Wessex Main Line]] runs from Bristol to [[Salisbury railway station|Salisbury]] and on to Southampton. The [[Heart of Wessex Line]] runs from Bristol in the north of the region to Weymouth on the south [[Dorset]] coast via [[Westbury railway station|Westbury]], [[Castle Cary railway station|Castle Cary]] and [[Yeovil Town railway station|Yeovil]], with most services starting at [[Gloucester railway station|Gloucester]]. The vast majority of trains in the region are operated by [[CrossCountry]], [[Great Western Railway (train operating company)|Great Western Railway]] (GWR) and [[South Western Railway (train operating company)|South Western Railway]] (SWR). GWR is the key operator for all counties in the region except Dorset where SWR is the key operator. CrossCountry operates services to [[Manchester Piccadilly railway station|Manchester Piccadilly]], [[Glasgow Central railway station|Glasgow]] and [[Aberdeen railway station|Aberdeen]]. Dorset is currently the only county in the region where there are electric trains, though the Great Western Main Line and the [[South Wales Main Line]] in Wiltshire, Somerset, Greater Bristol and Gloucestershire is [[21st-century modernisation of the Great Western main line|being electrified]]. SWR operate services to and from London Waterloo and serves every county in the region except Gloucestershire and Cornwall. GWR serves all counties in the region and operate to various destinations, some of which run to South Wales and the West Midlands, though almost all intercity trains operated by GWR run through the region. [[Transport for Wales Rail|Transport for Wales]] also operates services between {{stnlink|Maesteg}} and {{stnlink|Cheltenham Spa}}. [[West Midlands Trains|West Midlands Railway]] operated a [[parliamentary train]] between {{stnlink|Birmingham New Street}} and {{stnlink|Gloucester}} via {{rws|Worcester Shrub Hill}}, which was withdrawn in 2019 (there was once a regular service on the route, but this was withdrawn in 2009). It has been proposed that the former [[London & South Western Railway]] [[Exeter to Plymouth railway of the LSWR|Exeter to Plymouth railway]] be reopened to connect Cornwall and Plymouth as an alternative to the route via the [[Dawlish]] seawall that is susceptible to closure in bad weather.<ref>{{cite news |last= Harris |first= Nigel |title= Taking trains back to Tavistock |work= Rail |issue= 590 |pages= 40–45| location= Peterborough| year = 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=UK storms destroy railway line and leave thousands without power |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-26042990 |date=5 February 2014 |work=BBC News |access-date=5 February 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140205072449/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-26042990 |archive-date=5 February 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Dawlish's storm-damaged railway line reopens|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-devon-26874503|access-date=4 April 2014|newspaper=BBC News|date=4 April 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140404063923/http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-devon-26874503|archive-date=4 April 2014|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Network Rail chooses Dawlish alternative route |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-26110559 |date=10 February 2014 |access-date=10 February 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140211080406/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-26110559 |archive-date=11 February 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref> Local bus services are primarily operated by [[FirstGroup]], [[Go-Ahead Group]] and [[Stagecoach Group|Stagecoach]] subsidiaries as well as independent operators. [[Megabus (Europe)|Megabus]] and [[National Express Coaches|National Express]] operate long-distance services from South West England to all parts of the United Kingdom. [[File:M5 - geograph.org.uk - 238980.jpg|thumb|M5 looking south towards [[Avonmouth]] ]] Three major roads enter the region from the east. The [[M4 motorway]] from London to South Wales via Bristol is the busiest. The [[A303 road|A303]] cuts through the centre of the region from Salisbury to [[Honiton]], where it merges with the [[A30 road|A30]] to continue past Exeter to the west of Cornwall. The [[A31 road|A31]], an extension of the [[M27 motorway|M27]], serves Poole and Bournemouth and the Dorset coast. The [[M5 motorway|M5]] runs from the [[West Midlands (region)|West Midlands]] through Gloucestershire, Bristol and Somerset to Exeter. The [[A38 road|A38]] serves as a western extension to Plymouth. There are three other smaller motorways in the region, all [[Transport in Bristol|in the Bristol area]]. Passenger airports in the region include [[Bristol Airport|Bristol]], [[Exeter Airport|Exeter]], [[Newquay Airport|Newquay]] and [[Bournemouth Airport|Bournemouth]]. Within the region the local transport authorities carry out transport planning through the use of a [[Local transport plan|Local Transport Plan (LTP)]] which outlines their strategies, policies and implementation programme.<ref name=DfT1> {{cite web |url=http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/regional/ltp/theltpprocess |archive-url=http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20100513051107/http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/regional/ltp/theltpprocess |url-status=dead |archive-date=13 May 2010 |title= The LTP Process |publisher=[[Department for Transport]] |access-date=26 September 2010}}</ref> The most recent LTP is that for the period 2006–11. In the South West region the following transport authorities have published their LTP online: [[Bournemouth]] U.A.,<ref name=BmLTP> {{cite web |url=http://www.bournemouth.gov.uk/Residents/roads/transport/LTP/default.asp |title=Bournemouth 2006–11 Local Transport Plan |publisher=[[Bournemouth Borough Council]] |access-date=28 April 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090415045417/http://www.bournemouth.gov.uk/Residents/roads/transport/LTP/default.asp |archive-date=15 April 2009 }}</ref> [[Cornwall]] U.A.,<ref name=LTP>{{cite web |url=http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=4595 |title=Cornwall 2006–11 Local Transport Plan |publisher=[[Cornwall Council]] |access-date=28 April 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090804213009/http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=4595 |archive-date=4 August 2009 |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Devon]],<ref name=DvLTP>{{cite web |url=http://www.devon.gov.uk/index/transportroads/devon_local_transport_plan/dltp.htm |title=Devon 2006–11 Local Transport Plan |publisher=[[Devon|Devon County Council]] |access-date=28 April 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091111134735/http://www.devon.gov.uk/index/transportroads/devon_local_transport_plan/dltp.htm |archive-date=11 November 2009 |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Dorset]],<ref name=DrLTP>{{cite web |url=http://www.dorsetforyou.com/index.jsp?articleid=2579 |title=Dorset 2006–11 Local Transport Plan |publisher=Dorset County Council |access-date=28 April 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071011160631/http://www.dorsetforyou.com/index.jsp?articleid=2579 |archive-date=11 October 2007 |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Gloucestershire]],<ref name=GlLTP>{{cite web |url=http://www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=10987 |title=Gloucestershire 2006–11 Local Transport Plan |publisher=[[Gloucestershire County Council]] |access-date=28 April 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071007100049/http://www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=10987 |archive-date=7 October 2007 |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Plymouth]] U.A.,<ref name=PmLTP>{{cite web |url=http://www.plymouth.gov.uk/homepage/transportandstreets/transportplanning/ltp2006-2011.htm |title=Plymouth 2006–11 Local Transport Plan |publisher=[[Plymouth|Plymouth City Council]] |access-date=28 April 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080726174056/http://www.plymouth.gov.uk/homepage/transportandstreets/transportplanning/ltp2006-2011.htm |archive-date=26 July 2008 |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Somerset]],<ref name=SsLTP>{{cite web |url=http://www.somerset.gov.uk/somerset/ete/transport/localtransportplans/localtransportplan2/index.cfm?override=publications&pubid= |title=Somerset 2006–11 Local Transport Plan |publisher=[[Somerset County Council]] |access-date=28 April 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090109222217/http://www.somerset.gov.uk/somerset/ete/transport/localtransportplans/localtransportplan2/index.cfm?override=publications&pubid= |archive-date=9 January 2009 |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Swindon]] U. A.,<ref name=SwLTP>{{cite web |url=http://www.swindon.gov.uk/roadstransport/transportplan.htm |title=Swindon 2006–11 Local Transport Plan |publisher=[[Swindon Borough Council]] |access-date=28 April 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090501183017/http://www.swindon.gov.uk/roadstransport/transportplan.htm |archive-date=1 May 2009 |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Torbay]] U. A.<ref name=TbLTP>{{cite web |url=http://www.torbay.gov.uk/index/transport-streets/transport/transportpolicy/transportplan.htm |title=Torbay 2006–11 Local Transport Plan |publisher=[[Torbay|Torbay Borough Council]] |access-date=28 April 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070815180733/http://www.torbay.gov.uk/index/transport-streets/transport/transportpolicy/transportplan.htm |archive-date=15 August 2007 |url-status=live }}</ref> and [[Wiltshire Council|Wiltshire unitary authority]].<ref name=WlLTP>{{cite web |url=http://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/parkingtransportandstreets/roadandtransportplans/localtransportplan2.htm |title=Wiltshire 2006–11 Local Transport Plan |publisher=[[Wiltshire Council]] |access-date=28 April 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100910045625/http://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/parkingtransportandstreets/roadandtransportplans/localtransportplan2.htm |archive-date=10 September 2010 |url-status=live }}</ref> The transport authorities of [[Bath and North East Somerset]] U. A., [[Bristol]] U. A., [[North Somerset]] U. A. and [[South Gloucestershire]] U. A. publish a single Joint Local Transport Plan as part of the [[West of England|West of England Partnership]].<ref name=WoELTP> {{cite web |url=http://travelplus.org.uk/our-vision/joint-local-transport-plan-3/let%27s-talk---read-the-draft-jltp3 |title=West of England Partnership 2011–26 Local Transport Plan |publisher=West of England Partnership |access-date=28 April 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101024204219/http://travelplus.org.uk/our-vision/joint-local-transport-plan-3/let%27s-talk---read-the-draft-jltp3 |archive-date=24 October 2010 }}</ref> ==History== ===Pre-Roman=== [[File:Stonehenge-Green.jpg|thumb|[[Stonehenge]]]] There is evidence from [[flint]] [[Artifact (archaeology)|artefacts]] in a quarry at [[Westbury-sub-Mendip]] that an ancestor of modern man, possibly [[Homo heidelbergensis]], was present in the future Somerset from around 500,000 years ago.<ref name="somerset.gov.uk">{{cite web | title=Mendip Hills An Archaeological Survey of the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty | work=Somerset County Council Archeological Projects | url=http://www1.somerset.gov.uk/archives/hes/downloads/HES_MendipAONB.pdf | access-date=8 November 2010 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110516154619/http://www1.somerset.gov.uk/archives/hes/downloads/HES_MendipAONB.pdf | archive-date=16 May 2011 | url-status=live }}</ref> There is some evidence of human occupation of southern England before the [[Last glacial period|last ice age]], such as at [[Kents Cavern]] in Devon, but largely in the [[South East England|south east]]. The British mainland was connected to the continent during the ice age and humans may have repeatedly migrated into and out of the region as the climate fluctuated. There is evidence of human habitation in the caves at [[Cheddar Gorge]] 11,000–10,000 years BC, during a partial thaw in the ice age. The earliest scientifically dated cemetery in [[Great Britain]] was found at [[Aveline's Hole]] in the [[Mendip Hills]]. The human bone fragments it contained, from about 21 different individuals, are thought to be roughly between 10,200 and 10,400 years old.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.somerset.gov.uk/media/896B4/MendipAONB.pdf |title=Earliest British cemetery dated |access-date=27 January 2007 |work=BBC News |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070206032722/http://www.somerset.gov.uk/media/896B4/MendipAONB.pdf |archive-date=6 February 2007 |url-status=live }}</ref> During this time the tundra gave way to [[birch]] forests and [[grassland]] and evidence for human settlement appears at [[Salisbury Plain]], Wiltshire and [[Hengistbury Head]], Dorset. At the end of the [[Last Glacial Period|last Ice Age]] the [[Bristol Channel]] was dry land, but subsequently the sea level rose, resulting in major coastal changes. The [[Somerset Levels]] were flooded, but the [[dry point]]s such as [[Glastonbury]] and [[Brent Knoll]] are known to have been occupied by [[Mesolithic]] hunters.<ref name="Dunning">{{cite book |last=Dunning |first=Robert |title=A History of Somerset |year=1983 |publisher=Phillimore & Co |location=Chichester |isbn= 0-85033-461-6 }}</ref> The landscape at this time was [[tundra]]. Britain's oldest complete skeleton, [[Cheddar Man]], lived at Cheddar Gorge around 7150 BC (in the [[Upper Palaeolithic]] or Old Stone Age), shortly after the end of the ice age;<ref>{{cite web | title=Cheddar Man | work=RN-DS Partnership| url=http://www.rn-ds-partnership.com/reconstruction/cheddarman.html | access-date=18 April 2008 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080611054000/http://www.rn-ds-partnership.com/reconstruction/cheddarman.html <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date = 11 June 2008}}</ref> however, it is unclear whether the region was continuously inhabited during the previous 4000 years, or if humans returned to the gorge after a final cold spell. A [[Palaeolithic]] flint tool found in West Sedgemoor is the earliest indication of human presence on the Somerset Levels.<ref name="somhist">{{cite web|url=http://www.defra.gov.uk/erdp/pdfs/esaspdfs/stage1/SOMHIST.pdf |title=Historical Monitoring in the Somerset Levels and Moors ESA 1987–1994 |access-date=10 June 2007 |work=DEFRA |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070926223213/http://www.defra.gov.uk/erdp/pdfs/esaspdfs/stage1/SOMHIST.pdf |archive-date=26 September 2007 }}</ref> During the 7th millennium BC the sea level rose and flooded the valleys, so the [[Mesolithic]] people occupied seasonal camps on the higher ground, indicated by scatters of flints.<ref name="somhist" /> The [[Neolithic]] people continued to exploit the reed swamps for their natural resources and started to construct wooden trackways. These included the [[Post Track]] and the [[Sweet Track]]. The Sweet Track, dating from the 39th century BC, is thought to be the world's oldest [[timber trackway]] and was once thought to be the world's oldest engineered roadway.<ref name="robinwilliams"/> The Levels were also the location of the [[Glastonbury Lake Village]] as well as two lake villages at [[Meare]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Adkins |first1=Lesley |first2=Roy |last2=Adkins |title=A field guide to Somerset archeology |year=1992 |publisher=Dovecote Press |location=Wimborne |isbn=978-0-946159-94-9 |pages=69–70 }}</ref> [[Stonehenge]], [[Avebury]] and [[Stanton Drew stone circles|Stanton Drew]] are perhaps the most famous Neolithic sites in the UK. The region was heavily populated during the Neolithic, [[Bronze Age]] and [[Iron Age]] periods. Many monuments, barrows and trackways exist. Coin evidence shows that the region was split between the [[Durotriges]], [[Dobunni]] and [[Dumnonii]]. The Iron Age tribe in Dorset were the Durotriges, "water dwellers", whose main settlement is represented by [[Maiden Castle, Dorset|Maiden Castle]]. [[Ptolemy]] stated that [[Bath, Somerset|Bath]] was in the territory of the [[Belgae]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dot-domesday.me.uk/tribes.htm |title=British Tribes |access-date=2 December 2007 |work=From Dot to Domesday |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080122144457/http://www.dot-domesday.me.uk/tribes.htm |archive-date=22 January 2008 |url-status=live }}</ref> but this may be a mistake.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.kmatthews.org.uk/Ravenna_Cosmography/group12.html |title=Britannia in the Ravenna Cosmography |access-date=2 December 2007 |work=cyberhome of Keith Fitzpatrick-Matthews |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070315165719/http://www.kmatthews.org.uk/Ravenna_Cosmography/group12.html |archive-date=15 March 2007 |url-status=live }}</ref> The Celtic gods were worshipped at the temple of [[Sulis]] at [[Bath, Somerset|Bath]] and possibly the temple on [[Brean Down]]. Iron Age sites on the [[Quantock Hills]] include major [[hill fort]]s at [[Dowsborough]] and [[Ruborough]], as well as smaller earthwork enclosures, such as [[Trendle Ring]], [[Elworthy Barrows]] and [[Plainsfield Camp]]. At the time of the [[Roman invasion of Britain|Roman invasion]], the inhabitants of the entire area spoke a [[Brythonic Languages|Brythonic Celtic]] language. Its descendant languages are still spoken to a greater or lesser extent in [[Cornwall]], Wales, and [[Brittany]].<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=liY4AAAAIAAJ&dq=language+and+history+in+the+british+isles&pg=PA241] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170217084301/https://books.google.com/books?id=liY4AAAAIAAJ&pg=PA241&dq=language+and+history+in+the+british+isles&hl=en&ei=Lmz2Tc3zN8yGhQe4-7ngBg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CC8Q6AEwAA|date=17 February 2017}} Language in the British Isles, Peter Trudgill, 1984</ref> ===Roman period=== [[File:Silbury Hill - geograph.org.uk - 776.jpg|thumb|right|[[Silbury Hill]] – Europe's largest man-made earthwork]] During the [[Roman Britain|Roman era]], the east of the region, particularly the Cotswolds and eastern Somerset, was heavily Romanised but Devon and Cornwall were much less so, though Exeter was a regional capital. There are villas, farms and temples dating from the period, including the remains at Bath. The area of [[Somerset]] was part of the [[Roman Empire]] from AD 47 to about AD 409.<ref name="rajan">{{cite news |first=Amal |last=Rajan |title=Around a county in 40 facts: A (very) brief history of Somerset |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/around-a-county-in-40-facts-a-very-brief-history-of-somerset-462828.html |work=Independent on Sunday |date=24 August 2007 |access-date=21 October 2007 |location=London |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090214141911/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/around-a-county-in-40-facts-a-very-brief-history-of-somerset-462828.html |archive-date=14 February 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The empire disintegrated gradually, and elements of [[Romanitas]] lingered on for perhaps a century. In AD 47, Somerset was invaded from the south-east by the [[Legio II Augusta|Second Legion]] ''Augusta'', under the future emperor [[Vespasian]]. The [[hillfort]]s of the [[Durotriges]] at [[Ham Hill Country Park|Ham Hill]] and [[Cadbury Castle, Somerset|Cadbury Castle]] were captured. Ham Hill probably had a temporary Roman occupation. The massacre at Cadbury Castle seems to have been associated with the later [[Boudicca|Boudiccan Revolt]] of AD 60–61.<ref name="Dunning"/> [[File:Roman Baths c1900 2.jpg|thumb|left|A 19th-century [[Photochrom]] of the Roman Baths in Bath, Somerset]] The Roman invasion, and possibly the preceding period of involvement in the internal affairs of the south of England, was inspired in part by the lead mines of the [[Mendip Hills]], which also offered the potential for the extraction of silver.<ref name="havinden">{{cite book|last=Havinden|first=Michael|title=The Somerset Landscape|publisher=Hodder and Stoughton|location=London|series=The making of the English landscape|page=979|isbn=0-340-20116-9|year=1981}}</ref><ref name="RBSomerset">{{cite web | title=Romano-British Somerset | work=Somerset County Council: History of Somerset | url=http://www.somerset.gov.uk/archives/ASH/Romano-brit.htm | access-date=29 October 2006 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121017030550/http://www1.somerset.gov.uk/archives/ASH/Romano-brit.htm | archive-date=17 October 2012 | df=dmy-all }}</ref> Forts were set up at [[Bath, Somerset|Bath]] and [[Ilchester]]. The lead and silver [[mining|mines]] at [[Charterhouse Roman Town|Charterhouse]] in the Mendip Hills were run by the military. The Romans established a defensive boundary along the new military road known the [[Fosse Way]] (from the Latin ''fossa'' meaning "ditch"). The Fosse Way ran through [[Bath, Somerset|Bath]], [[Shepton Mallet]], [[Ilchester]] and south-west towards [[Axminster]]. The road from [[Dorchester, Dorset|Dorchester]] ran through [[Yeovil]] to meet the Fosse Way at Ilchester. Salt was produced on the [[Somerset Levels]] near [[Highbridge, Somerset|Highbridge]] and [[quarry]]ing took place near Bath, named after the [[Roman Baths (Bath)|Roman baths]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Roman Baths Treatment Centre |work=Images of England |url=http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/details/default.aspx?id=442194 |access-date=15 November 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090615202319/http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/details/default.aspx?id=442194 |archive-date=15 June 2009 }}</ref> Excavations carried out before the flooding of [[Chew Valley Lake]] also uncovered Roman remains, indicating agricultural and industrial activity from the second half of the 1st century until the 3rd century AD. The finds included a moderately large [[Roman villa|villa]] at Chew Park,<ref name="ross">{{cite book | editor = Ross, Lesley| year = 2004 | title = Before the Lake: Memories of the Chew Valley | publisher = The Harptree Historic Society | isbn=0-9548832-0-9 }}</ref> where wooden writing tablets (the first in the UK) with ink writing were found. There is also evidence from the [[Pagans Hill Roman Temple]] at [[Chew Stoke]].<ref name="ross"/><ref name="hucker">{{cite book | author = Hucker, Ernest| year = 1997 | title = Chew Stoke Recalled in Old Photographs | publisher = Ernest Hucker }}</ref> In October 2001 the [[West Bagborough Hoard]] of 4th-century Roman silver was discovered in [[West Bagborough]]. The 681 coins included two [[denarius|denarii]] from the early 2nd century and 8 [[miliarense|miliarensia]] and 671 [[siliqua]]e all dating from AD 337 to 367. The majority were struck in the reigns of emperors [[Constantius II]] and [[Didius Julianus|Julian]] and derive from a range of mints including [[Arles]] and [[Lyon]]s in France, [[Trier]] in Germany, and Rome.<ref>{{cite web|title=The West Bagborough Hoard |url=http://www.sanhs.org/Newsletter67.htm#WestBag |work=Newsletter Spring/Summer 2003 |publisher=[[Somerset Archaeological and Natural History Society]] |access-date=10 July 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717174526/http://www.sanhs.org/Newsletter67.htm |archive-date=17 July 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In April 2010, the [[Frome Hoard]], one of the largest ever hoards of Roman coins discovered in Britain, was found by a metal detectorist. The hoard of 52,500 coins dated from the 3rd century AD and was found buried in a field near [[Frome]], in a jar {{convert|14|in|cm}} below the surface.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/10546960.stm|title=Huge Roman coin find for hobbyist|work=BBC News|date=8 July 2010|access-date=8 July 2010}}</ref> The coins were excavated by archaeologists from the [[Portable Antiquities Scheme]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://finds.org.uk/blogs/fromehoard/ |title=The Frome Hoard |date=8 July 2010 |first=Anna |last=Booth |publisher=[[Portable Antiquities Scheme]] |access-date=8 July 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100712200444/http://finds.org.uk/blogs/fromehoard/ |archive-date=12 July 2010 }}</ref> ===British kingdoms and the arrival of the Saxons=== [[File:Maes Knoll Tump.jpg|thumb|[[Maes Knoll]] the western end of [[Wansdyke (earthwork)|Wansdyke]]]] {{Main|Wessex|Constitutional status of Cornwall}} After the Romans left at the start of the 5th century AD, the region split into several Brittonic kingdoms, including [[Dumnonia]], centred around the old tribal territory of the [[Dumnonii]].<ref name=pearce>Pearce, Susan M. (1978), ''The Kingdom of Dumnonia: Studies in History and Tradition in South-Western Britain A.D. 350–1150'' Padstow: Lodenek Press.</ref> The upper Thames area soon came under [[Anglo-Saxon England|Anglo-Saxon]] control but the remainder of the region was in British control until the 6th century.<ref>{{cite book|last= Stenton|first= F. M.|year=1971|title=Anglo-Saxon England |edition= 3rd|publisher=Clarendon Press|location=Oxford|isbn=978-0-19-280139-5| page=30}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Morris|first=John |author-link=John Morris (historian)|year=1973 |title=The Age of Arthur|publisher=Phoenix|isbn=1-84212-477-3|location=London | page=299}}</ref> [[Bokerley Dyke]], a large defensive ditch on [[Cranborne Chase]] dated to 367, delayed the [[Anglo-Saxons|Saxon]] conquest of Dorset, with the Romano-British remaining in Dorset for 200 years after the withdrawal of the Roman legions. The Western [[Wansdyke (earthwork)|Wandsdyke]] earthwork was probably built during the 5th or 6th century. This area became the border between the [[Romano-British]] [[Celt]]s and the [[Anglo-Saxons|West Saxons]] following the [[Battle of Deorham]] in 577.<ref name="ASC577">''The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle'', [http://britannia.com/history/docs/501-97.html 501–97 AD] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061110114415/http://www.britannia.com/history/docs/501-97.html |date=10 November 2006 }}.</ref> The Anglo-Saxons then gained control of the Cotswold area; but most of Somerset, Dorset and Devon (as well as Cornwall) remained in British hands until the late 7th century. According to the ''[[Anglo-Saxon Chronicle]]'', the Saxon [[Cenwalh of Wessex|Cenwalh]] achieved a breakthrough against the [[Brython|British]] Celtic tribes, with victories at [[Bradford-on-Avon]] (in the ''Avon Gap'' in the Wansdyke) in 652,<ref name="ASC652">''The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle'', [http://britannia.com/history/docs/645-56.html 645–56 AD] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071212033046/http://www.britannia.com/history/docs/645-56.html |date=12 December 2007 }}</ref> and further south at the [[Battle of Peonnum]] (at [[Penselwood]]) in 658,<ref name="ASC658">''The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle'', [http://britannia.com/history/docs/658-75.html 658–75 AD] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071212065210/http://www.britannia.com/history/docs/658-75.html |date=12 December 2007 }}</ref> followed by an advance west through the [[Polden Hills]] to the [[River Parrett]].<ref name="VCH">''The Victoria History of the County of Somerset'', Vol 1 (1906){{page}}</ref> The Saxon advance from the east seems to have been halted by battles between the British and Saxons, for example at the siege of Badon [[Mons Badonicus]] (which may have been in the Bath district, perhaps at [[Solsbury Hill]]),<ref>{{cite web | title=Roman Times | work=Britannia | url=http://www.britannia.com/history/somerset/somhist3.html | access-date=29 October 2006 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061112073000/http://www.britannia.com/history/somerset/somhist3.html | archive-date=12 November 2006 | url-status=dead }}</ref> or [[Bathampton Down]].<ref>{{cite book |title=The hidden places of Somerset |last=Scott |first=Shane |year=1995 |publisher=Travel Publishing Ltd |location=Aldermaston |isbn=1-902007-01-8 |page=16 }}</ref> The Battle of [[Bedwyn]] was fought in 675 between [[Aescwine of Wessex|Escuin]], a [[Wessex|West Saxon]] nobleman who had seized the throne of [[Seaxburh of Wessex|Queen Saxburga]], and [[King Wulfhere]] of [[Mercia]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Pearson |first=Michael |title=Kennet & Avon Middle Thames: Pearson's Canal Companion |year=2003 |publisher=Central Waterways Supplies|location=Rugby |isbn=0-907864-97-X}}</ref> The earliest fortification of [[Taunton]] started for King [[Ine of Wessex]] and [[Æthelburg of Wessex|Æthelburg]], in or about the year 710. However, according to the ''Anglo-Saxon Chronicle'' this was destroyed 12 years later.<ref name="britannia">{{cite web |url=http://www.britannia.com/history/somerset/castles/tauntoncast.html |title=History of Taunton Castle in Somerset |author=Charles Oman |access-date=21 November 2007 |work=Britannia castles |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080531115627/http://www.britannia.com/history/somerset/castles/tauntoncast.html |archive-date=31 May 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref> [[Alfred the Great]] refortified Exeter as a defensive [[burh]], followed by new erections at [[Lydford]], [[Halwell]] and [[Pilton, Devon|Pilton]], although these fortifications were small compared to [[burh]]s further east, suggesting that they were protection for the elite only. ===9th century and the arrival of the Danes=== The English defeated a combined Cornish and Danish force at [[Hingston Down]] (near Gunnislake) in 838.<ref>The Cornish hill is usually accepted as the location mentioned in an entry in the ''[[Anglo-Saxon Chronicle]]'' for 835 (corrected by scholars to 838) which says that [[Egbert of Wessex|Egbert]] king of the [[Kingdom of the West Saxons|West Saxon]]s defeated an army of [[Viking]]s and [[Cornish people|Cornish]] at ''Hengestdun'' = "Stallion Hill". See, for example: {{cite book| last=Higham| first=Robert | title=Making Anglo-Saxon Devon | publisher=The Mint Press| location=Exeter| year=2008 | page=64 | isbn=978-1-903356-57-9}}. However, Hingston Down in Devon has also been proposed as the site.</ref> [[Edward the Elder]] built similarly at [[Barnstaple]] and [[Totnes]]. But sporadic Viking incursions continued until the [[Norman conquest of England|Norman Conquest]], including the disastrous defeat of the Devonians at the [[Battle of Pinhoe]]. In 876 King Alfred the Great trapped a Danish fleet at [[Arne, Dorset|Arne]] and then drove it out; 120 ships were wrecked at [[Studland]].<ref>{{cite book | last = Shipley Duckett | first = Eleanor | title = Alfred the Great: The King and His England | publisher = [[University of Chicago Press]] | year = 1956 | pages = [https://archive.org/details/alfredgreatkingh00duck/page/73 73–74] | isbn = 0-226-16779-8 | url = https://archive.org/details/alfredgreatkingh00duck/page/73 }}</ref> Although King Alfred had lands in Cornwall, it continued to have a British king. It is generally considered that Cornwall came fully under the dominion of the English Crown in the time of [[Athelstan of England|Athelstan]]'s rule, i.e. 924–939.<ref name="Payton 1996">[[Philip Payton|Payton, Philip]] (1996). ''Cornwall''. Fowey: Alexander Associates</ref> In the absence of any specific documentation to record this event, supporters of Cornwall's English status presume that it then became part of England. However, in 944, within a mere five years of Athelstan's death, [[Edmund I of England|King Edmund]] issued a charter styling himself "King of the English ''and ruler of this province of the Britons''". Thus we can see that then the "province" was a territorial possession, which has long claimed a special relationship to the English Crown.<ref>[[Malcolm Todd|Todd, Malcolm]] ''The South West to AD 1000''. London, 1987; p. 289</ref> [[File:Corfe Castle2.jpg|thumb|left|upright=0.75|[[Corfe Castle]]]] [[Corfe Castle]] in 978 saw the murder of King [[Edward the Martyr]], whose body was taken first to [[Wareham, Dorset|Wareham]] and then to [[Shaftesbury]]. Somerset played an important part in stopping the spread of the Danes in the 9th century. [[Viking]] raids took place for instance in 987 and 997 at [[Watchet]]<ref name="somharbours">{{cite book |title=Somerset Harbours |last=Farr |first=Grahame |year=1954 |publisher=Christopher Johnson |location=London |pages=125–137 }}</ref> and the [[Battle of Cynwit]]. King Alfred was driven to seek refuge from the Danes at [[Athelney]] before defeating them in 878 at the [[Battle of Ethandun]], usually considered to be near [[Edington, Wiltshire]], but possibly the village of [[Edington, Somerset|Edington]] in Somerset. Alfred established a series of forts and lookout posts linked by a military road, or [[Herepath]], to allow his army to cover Viking movements at sea. The Herepath has a characteristic form which is familiar on the Quantocks: a regulation 20 m wide track between avenues of trees growing from [[hedge laying]] embankments. A peace treaty with the Danes was signed at [[Treaty of Wedmore|Wedmore]] and the Danish king [[Guthrum the Old]] was baptised at [[Aller, Somerset|Aller]]. ''[[Burh]]s'' (fortified places) had been set up by 919, such as [[Lyng, Somerset|Lyng]]. The [[Alfred Jewel]], an object about {{convert|2.5|in|mm|adj=on}} long, made of filigree gold, [[cloisonné]]-enamelled and with a rock crystal covering, was found in 1693 at [[Petherton Park]], [[North Petherton]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.trin.cam.ac.uk/sdk13/AlfJewel.html |work=The Anglo Saxon Index, Trinity College, Cambridge |title=Replicas of the Alfred Jewel |access-date=18 September 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071102043417/http://www.trin.cam.ac.uk/sdk13/AlfJewel.html |archive-date= 2 November 2007 }}</ref> This is believed to have been owned by King Alfred.<ref name="localhist">{{cite web |url=http://www.nthpetherton.co.uk/history.htm |title=Local History |access-date=19 November 2007 |work=North Petherton |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070630113826/http://www.nthpetherton.co.uk/history.htm |archive-date=30 June 2007 |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Monasteries]] and [[Minster (cathedral)|minster]] churches were set up all over Somerset, with daughter churches of the minsters in manors. There was a royal palace at [[Cheddar, Somerset|Cheddar]], which was used at times in the 10th century to host the [[Witenagemot]].<ref>{{cite web | url= http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/adsdata/arch-769-1/ahds/dissemination/pdf/vol06-07/6_053_066.pdf | last= Rahtz | first= Philip | publisher= Archaeology Data Service | title= The Saxon and Medieval Palaces at Cheddar, Somerset-an Interim Report of Excavations in I 960-62 | access-date= 31 March 2008 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080410225720/http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/adsdata/arch-769-1/ahds/dissemination/pdf/vol06-07/6_053_066.pdf | archive-date= 10 April 2008 | url-status= live }}</ref> [[File:Sweyn Forkbeard.jpg|thumb|upright=0.75|[[Sweyn Forkbeard]]]] ===11th century=== In the late pre-Norman period, the east coast of modern-day England came under the growing sway of the [[Norsemen]]. Eventually England came to be ruled by Norse monarchs, and the [[Anglo-Saxon]] kingdoms fell one by one, [[Wessex]] being conquered in 1013 by King [[Sweyn Forkbeard]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Blair |first=Peter Hunter |title=An Introduction to Anglo-Saxon England |publisher=Cambridge University Press |year=2003 |edition=3rd |page=98 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9eN87VsPaw0C |isbn=0-521-53777-0 |access-date=17 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170218054049/https://books.google.com/books?id=9eN87VsPaw0C&printsec=frontcover&cad=0 |archive-date=18 February 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="asc">[http://mcllibrary.org/Anglo/ The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180320043920/http://mcllibrary.org/Anglo/ |date=20 March 2018 }}. LondonL J. M. Dent, 1912. Translation by [[James Ingram (antiquary)|James Ingram]] (London, 1823) and [[J. A. Giles]] (London, 1847). Medieval and Classical Literature Library Release #17. Retrieved 4 May 2018.</ref><ref name="Blackwell">Lapidge, Michael (2001). "Swein Forkbeard", ''The Blackwell Encyclopaedia of Anglo-Saxon England''. Ed. Michael Lapidge, John Blair, et al. London: Blackwell Publishing; p. 437. {{ISBN|0-631-15565-1}}.</ref> Sweyn's realms included [[Denmark]] and [[Norway]], and parts of England such as [[Mercia]] (an Anglian kingdom roughly coinciding with the [[English Midlands]]), much of which, along with northern England, fell under the [[Danelaw]]. Sweyn ruled Wessex, along with his other realms, from 1013 onwards, followed by his son [[Canute the Great]]. But Cornwall was ''not'' part of his realm of Wessex. A map by the American historian called "The Dominions of Canute" (pictured just above) shows that Cornwall, like Wales and Scotland, was part neither of Sweyn Forkbeard's nor of Canute's Danish empire. Neither Sweyn Forkbeard nor Canute conquered or controlled Scotland, Wales or Cornwall; but these areas were "client nations": subject to payment of a yearly tribute or ''[[danegeld]]'' to Sweyn and later Canute, all three areas retained their autonomy from the Danes. Ultimately, the Danes lost control of Wessex in 1042 on the death of both of Canute's sons. [[Edward the Confessor]] retook Wessex for the Saxons.<ref>{{cite book | last = Barlow | first = Frank | author-link = Frank Barlow (historian) | title = Edward the Confessor | year = 1970 | publisher = University of California Press | location = Berkeley, CA | pages = [https://archive.org/details/edwardconfessor00barl/page/29 29–36] | isbn = 0-520-01671-8 | url = https://archive.org/details/edwardconfessor00barl/page/29 }}</ref> In 1016 [[Edmund Ironside]] was crowned king at Glastonbury.<ref>{{cite web|title=Eadmund|url=http://www.archontology.org/nations/uk/england/anglosaxon/edmund2.php|publisher=Archontology.org|access-date=5 July 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100927054621/http://www.archontology.org/nations/uk/england/anglosaxon/edmund2.php|archive-date=27 September 2010|url-status=live}}</ref> ===Middle Ages=== [[File:Plymouth Drake.jpg|thumb|left|The statue of Sir [[Francis Drake]] (1540–1596) on [[Plymouth Hoe]]]] After the Norman Conquest the region was controlled by various Norman as well as [[Breton people|Breton]] lords and later by local gentry, a few of whom appear to have been descended from pre-Conquest families. In 1140, during the [[The Anarchy|civil war]] of [[Stephen of England|King Stephen]]'s reign, the castles of Plympton and [[Rougemont Castle|Exeter]] were held against the king by [[Baldwin de Redvers, 1st Earl of Devon|Baldwin de Redvers]] and this gave rise to the defensive castles at [[Corfe Castle]], [[Powerstock]], [[Wareham, Dorset|Wareham]] and [[Shaftesbury]]. The period saw the growth of towns such as [[Truro]], [[Totnes]], [[Okehampton]] and [[Plympton]] in the west of the region, but these were small compared with the established wealth of ancient [[cathedral city|cathedral cities]] in the east of the region such as [[Exeter]], [[Bath, Somerset|Bath]] and [[Wells, Somerset|Wells]]. Wealth grew from sheep farming in the east of the region: church controlled estates such as [[Glastonbury Abbey]] and [[Wells, Somerset|Wells]] became among the richest in England, while [[tin]] and silver mining was important in Devon and Cornwall; [[Stannary Parliament]]s with semi-autonomous powers were established. Farming prospered until it was severely hit by the [[Black Death]] which arrived in [[Dorset]] in 1348 and quickly spread through Somerset, causing widespread death, with mortality rates perhaps as high as 50% in places. The resulting labour shortage led to changes in feudal practices. Crafts and industries also flourished; the Somerset woollen industry was then one of the largest in England.<ref>{{cite web | title=Saxon Times | work=Britannia | url=http://www.britannia.com/history/somerset/somhist6.html | access-date=29 October 2006 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061112073026/http://www.britannia.com/history/somerset/somhist6.html | archive-date=12 November 2006 | url-status=live }}</ref> Coal mining in the [[Mendip Hills|Mendips]] was an important source of wealth while [[quarry]]ing also took place. Many parish churches were rebuilt in this period. Between 1107 and 1129 [[William Giffard]], the Chancellor of King [[Henry I of England|Henry I]], converted the bishop's hall in Taunton into [[Taunton Castle]]. It passed to the king in 1233<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.somersetheritage.org.uk/record/12419|title=Bridgwater Castle, Bridgwater|work=Somerset Historic Environment Record|publisher=Somerset County Council|access-date=12 October 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161003110458/http://www.somersetheritage.org.uk/record/12419|archive-date=3 October 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> and in 1245 repairs were ordered to its [[motte and bailey|motte]] and towers. During the 11th-century [[Second Barons' War]] against [[Henry III of England|Henry III]], Bridgwater was held by the barons against the King. During the [[Middle Ages]] sheep farming for the wool trade came to dominate the economy of [[Exmoor]]. The wool was spun into thread on isolated farms and collected by merchants to be woven, fulled, dyed and finished in thriving towns such as [[Dunster]]. The land started to be enclosed and from the 17th century onwards larger estates developed, leading to establishment of areas of large regular shaped fields. During this period a [[royal forest]] and hunting ground was established, administered by the Warden. The royal forest was sold off in 1818.<ref name="natparkhist">{{cite web|url=http://www.exmoor-nationalpark.gov.uk/environment/history/the-hiistory-of-exmoor |title=The history of Exmoor |access-date=29 November 2007 |work=Exmoor National Park |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130729085614/http://www.exmoor-nationalpark.gov.uk/environment/history/the-hiistory-of-exmoor |archive-date=29 July 2013 }}</ref> [[File:Fowey - geograph.org.uk - 2745.jpg|thumb|[[Fowey]] harbour]] Where conditions were suitable, coastal villages and ports had an economy based on fishing. The larger ports such as [[Fowey]] contributed vessels to the naval enterprises of the King and were subject to attack from the French in return. Bridgwater was part of the [[Port of Bristol]] until the Port of Bridgwater was created in 1348,<ref name="somharbours"/> covering {{convert|80|mi|km}} of the Somerset coast line, from the [[Devon]] border to the mouth of the [[River Axe (Bristol Channel)|River Axe]].<ref name=lawrence-8>Lawrence, J.F. (revised and completed by Lawrence, J.C.) (2005). ''A History of Bridgwater''. Chichester: Phillimore. {{ISBN|1-86077-363-X}}. Chapter 8: "The Medieval Port of Bridgwater".</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Farr |first=Grahame |title=Somerset Harbours |publisher=Christopher Johnson |location=London |year=1954 |page=104|isbn=0-900131-15-2}}</ref> Historically, the main port on the river was at Bridgwater; the river being bridged at this point, with the first bridge being constructed in 1200.<ref>{{cite book |last=Dunning |first=Robert |year=1992b |title=Bridgwater: History and Guide |location=Stroud |publisher=Alan Sutton |isbn=0-7509-0192-6 |page=193}}</ref> [[Quay]]s were built in 1424; with another quay, the ''Langport slip'', being built in 1488 upstream of the Town Bridge.<ref>{{cite book |last=Dunning |first=Robert |year=1992b |title=Bridgwater: History and Guide |location=Stroud |publisher=Alan Sutton |isbn=0-7509-0192-6 |page=193 }}</ref> In [[Bristol]] the port began to develop in the 11th century.<ref name="Brace">{{cite book |last=Brace |first=Keith |title=Portrait of Bristol |year=1996 |publisher=Robert Hale |pages=13–15|location=London |isbn=0-7091-5435-6}}</ref> By the 12th century Bristol was an important port, handling much of England's trade with Ireland. During this period Bristol also became a centre of shipbuilding and manufacturing. Bristol was the starting point for many important voyages, notably [[John Cabot]]'s 1497 voyage of exploration to North America.<ref name="croxton">{{cite journal|last=Croxton|first=Derek|date=1990–1991|title=The Cabot Dilemma: John Cabot's 1497 Voyage & the Limits of Historiography|journal=Essays in History|publisher=Corcoran Department of History at the University of Virginia|location=Virginia|volume=33|url=http://etext.virginia.edu/journals/EH/EH33/croxto33.html|access-date=16 March 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090228081415/http://etext.virginia.edu/journals/EH/EH33/croxto33.html|archive-date=28 February 2009|url-status=live}}</ref> By the 14th century Bristol was one of England's three largest [[medieval]] towns after London, along with [[York]] and [[Norwich]], with perhaps 15,000–20,000 inhabitants on the eve of the [[Black Death]] of 1348–49.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.lovemytown.co.uk/LocalHistory/LocalHistoryTable1.asp |title=Largest towns in England in 1334 |access-date=10 March 2007 |work=Love my town |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110511064410/http://www.lovemytown.co.uk/LocalHistory/LocalHistoryTable1.asp |archive-date=11 May 2011 |url-status=live }}</ref> The plague resulted in a prolonged pause in the growth of Bristol's population, with numbers remaining at 10,000–12,000 through most of the 15th and 16th centuries.<ref name="Bristol">{{cite web | title=Bristol | work=Fortified Places | url=http://www.fortified-places.com/bristol.html | access-date=24 March 2007 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070320215022/http://www.fortified-places.com/bristol.html | archive-date=20 March 2007 | url-status=live }}</ref> [[File:Perkin Warbeck.jpg|thumb|left|upright=0.75|[[Perkin Warbeck]]]] During the [[Wars of the Roses]], there were frequent skirmishes between the [[House of Lancaster|Lancastrian]] [[Thomas de Courtenay, 5th/13th Earl of Devon|Thomas Courtenay, Earl of Devon]] and [[House of York|Yorkist]] [[William Bonville, 1st Baron Bonville|William, Lord Bonville]]. In 1470, [[Edward IV of England|Edward IV]] pursued [[Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick|Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick]] and [[George Plantagenet, 1st Duke of Clarence|George, Duke of Clarence]] as far as Exeter after the [[Battle of Lose-coat Field]]. The organisation of the region remained based on the shires and Church estates, which were largely unchanged throughout the period. Some of the most important nobles in the South West included the Courtenays Earl of Devon, [[William Bonville, 1st Baron Bonville]], and [[Humphrey Stafford, 1st Earl of Devon|Humphrey Stafford, earl of Devon]] whose wider influence stretched from Cornwall to Wiltshire. After 1485, the Earl of Devon, Henry VII's chamberlain, [[Giles Daubeney, 1st Baron Daubeney]] and [[Robert Willoughby, 1st Baron Willoughby de Broke]] were also influential.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Stansfield-Cudworth|first=R.E.|title=Political Elites in South-West England, 1450–1500: Politics, Governance and the Wars of the Roses|publisher=[[Edwin Mellen Press]]|year=2009|isbn=978-0-77344-714-1|location=[[Lewiston, New York]]|pages=149–89, 191–225, 303–45|language=English}}</ref> In 1497, early in [[Henry VII of England|Henry VII]]'s reign, the royal pretender [[Perkin Warbeck]], besieged Exeter. The [[Cornish Rebellion of 1497]] led by [[An Gof]] and [[Thomas Flamank]] ended in a march to [[Blackheath, London|Blackheath]] in London where the [[Cornish people|Cornish]] forces were massacred. ===16th century=== Great disturbances throughout both Cornwall and Devon followed the introduction of [[Edward VI of England|Edward VI]]'s [[Book of Common Prayer]]. The day after [[Whit Sunday]] 1549, a priest at [[Sampford Courtenay]] was persuaded to read the old [[mass (liturgy)|mass]].<ref>Heal, Felicity (2003). ''Reformation in Britain and Ireland'', p. 225. Oxford University Press. {{ISBN|0-19-826924-2}}.</ref> This insubordination spread swiftly into serious revolt. The Cornish quickly joined the men of Devon in the [[Prayer Book Rebellion]] and Exeter was besieged until relieved by Lord Russell.<ref>Secor, Philip Bruce (1999). ''Richard Hooker: Prophet of Anglicanism'', p. 13. Continuum International Publishing Group. {{ISBN|0-86012-289-1}}.</ref> The Cornish had a particular motivation for opposing the new English language prayer book, as there were still many monoglot [[Cornish language|Cornish]] speakers in West Cornwall. The [[Cornish language]] declined rapidly afterwards and the [[Dissolution of the Monasteries]] resulted in the eventual loss of the Cornish language as a primary language. By the end of the 18th century it was no longer a first language. The [[Council of the West]] was a short-lived administrative body established by Henry VIII for the government of the western counties of England. It was analogous in form to the [[Council of the North]]. The council was established in March 1539, with [[John Russell, 1st Earl of Bedford|Lord Russell]] as its Lord President. Members included Thomas Derby, Sir Piers Edgcumbe, Sir Richard Pollard and John Rowe. However, the fall of [[Thomas Cromwell, 1st Earl of Essex|Thomas Cromwell]], the chief political supporter of government by Councils, and the tranquillity of the western counties made it largely superfluous. It last sat in summer 1540, although it was never formally abolished.<ref>{{cite journal | last=Willen | first=Diane |date=Autumn 1975 | title=Lord Russell and the Western Counties, 1539–1555 | journal=The Journal of British Studies | volume=15 | issue=1 | pages=26–45 | doi=10.1086/385677| s2cid=162954069 }}</ref> ===17th century=== The [[Bristol Channel floods, 1607|Bristol Channel floods of 1607]] are believed to have affected large parts of the [[Somerset Levels]], with flooding up to {{convert|8|ft|m|0}} above sea level.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Bryant |first1=Edward |first2=Simon |last2=Haslett |year=2002 |title=Was the AD 1607 coastal flooding event in the Severn estuary and Bristol channel due to a Tsunami? |journal=Archaeology in the Severn Estuary |volume=13 |pages=163–167 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Bryant |first1=Edward |first2=Simon |last2=Haslett |year=2004 |title=The AD 1607 Coastal Flood in the Bristol Channel and Severn Estuary: Historical Records from Devon and Cornwall (UK) |journal=Archaeology in the Severn Estuary |volume=15 |pages=81–89 }}</ref> In 1625, a House of Correction was established in [[Shepton Mallet]], and when it closed [[Shepton Mallet (HM Prison)|HMP Shepton Mallet]] was England's oldest prison still in use.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sheptonmallet.info/site/index.php?page_id=189 |work=Shepton Mallet Town Council |title=Historic Buildings of Shepton Mallet |access-date=30 August 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120118052345/http://www.sheptonmallet.info/site/index.php?page_id=189 |archive-date=18 January 2012 }}</ref><ref name="Disney">{{cite book |last=Disney|first=Francis |title=Shepton Mallet Prison (2nd Ed) |year=1992 |publisher=Published by the Author|isbn=0-9511470-2-1}}</ref> During the [[English Civil War]], Somerset was largely [[Roundhead|Parliamentarian]], although [[Dunster]] was a Royalist stronghold. The county saw important battles between the [[Cavalier|Royalists]] and the Parliamentarians, notably at [[Battle of Lansdowne|Lansdowne]] in 1643 and [[Battle of Langport|Langport]] in 1645.<ref>{{cite book |title=Battles and Generals of the Civil Wars |last=Rodgers |first= Colonel H.C.B.|year=1968 |publisher=Seeley Service & Co. }}</ref> Bristol was occupied by Royalist military, after they overran [[Royal Fort]], the last Parliamentarian stronghold in the city.<ref name="Bristol"/> [[Taunton Castle]] had fallen into ruin by 1600 but it was repaired during the Civil War. The castle changed hands several times during 1642–45 along with the town.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tauntontowncentre.co.uk/about_taunton_history.htm |title=Taunton's History |access-date=21 November 2007 |work=Taunton Town Centre! |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070603195008/http://www.tauntontowncentre.co.uk/about_taunton_history.htm |archive-date = 3 June 2007}}</ref> During the [[Siege of Taunton]] it was defended by [[Robert Blake (admiral)|Robert Blake]], from July 1644 to July 1645. After the war, in 1662, the keep was demolished and only the base remains. This war resulted in castles being slighted (destroyed to prevent their re-use).<ref>{{cite web | title=The Civil War in Somerset | work=Somerset County Council: History of Somerset | url=http://www.somerset.gov.uk/archives/ASH/Civilwar.htm | access-date=29 October 2006 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060925010243/http://www.somerset.gov.uk/archives/ASH/Civilwar.htm | archive-date=25 September 2006 | df=dmy-all }}</ref> [[File:James Scott, Duke of Monmouth and Buccleuch by William Wissing.jpg|thumb|upright=0.75|[[James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth]]]] In 1685, [[James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth|the Duke of Monmouth]] led the [[Monmouth Rebellion]] in which a force partly raised in Somerset fought against [[James II of England|James II]]. The rebels landed at [[Lyme Regis]] and travelled north hoping to capture [[Bristol]] and [[Bath, Somerset|Bath]], Puritan soldiers damaged the west front of [[Wells Cathedral]], tore lead from the roof to make bullets, broke the windows, smashed the organ and the furnishings, and for a time stabled their horses in the nave.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.somerset.gov.uk/archives/ASH/Monmouthreb.htm |title=The Monmouth rebellion and the bloody assize |access-date=11 February 2008 |work=Somerset County Council |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070829142340/http://www.somerset.gov.uk/archives/ASH/Monmouthreb.htm |archive-date=29 August 2007 |url-status=live }}</ref> They were defeated in the [[Battle of Sedgemoor]] at [[Westonzoyland]], the last battle fought on English soil.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~smedlo/history.htm |title=History of Bridgwater |access-date=21 October 2007 |work=Bridgwater |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071112055456/http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~smedlo/history.htm |archive-date=12 November 2007 |url-status=live }}</ref> The [[Bloody Assizes]] which followed saw the losers being sentenced to death or [[Penal transportation|transportation]].<ref>{{cite web | title=Tudor & Stuart Times | work=Britannia | url=http://www.britannia.com/history/somerset/somhist7.html | access-date=29 October 2006 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061112072921/http://www.britannia.com/history/somerset/somhist7.html | archive-date=12 November 2006 | url-status=live }}</ref> At the time of the [[Glorious Revolution]], [[James II of England|King James II]] gathered his main forces, altogether about 19,000 men, at [[Salisbury]], James himself arriving there on 19 November 1688. The first blood was shed at the [[Wincanton Skirmish]] in [[Somerset]]. In Salisbury, James heard that some of his officers, such as [[Edward Hyde, 3rd Earl of Clarendon|Edward Hyde]], had deserted, and he broke out in a nose-bleed which he took as a bad omen. His commander in chief, the [[Louis de Duras, 2nd Earl of Feversham|Earl of Feversham]], advised retreat on 23 November, and the next day [[John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough|John Churchill]] deserted to William. On 26 November, James's daughter [[Anne, Queen of Great Britain|Princess Anne]] did the same, and James returned to London the same day, never again to be at the head of a serious military force in England.<ref>J. Childs, ''The Army, James II, and the Glorious Revolution'' (Manchester, 1980)</ref> ===Modern history=== Since 1650, the City of [[Plymouth]] has grown to become the largest city in Devon, mainly due to the naval base at [[Devonport, Devon|Devonport]]. [[HMNB Devonport|Her Majesty's Naval Base (HMNB) Devonport]] is one of three operating bases in the United Kingdom for the [[Royal Navy]]. HMNB Devonport is now the largest naval base in Western Europe.<ref name=hmnbdevonport>{{cite web|title=Devonport|url=http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/The-Fleet/Naval-Bases/Devonport|publisher=Royal Navy|access-date=17 July 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130922011842/http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/The-Fleet/Naval-Bases/Devonport|archive-date=22 September 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> The large [[Portland Harbour]], built at the end of the 19th century and protected by [[Nothe Fort]] and the [[Verne Citadel]], was for many years, including during the wars, another of the largest Royal Navy bases. The 19th century saw improvements to roads in the region with the introduction of [[turnpike trust|turnpikes]] and the building of canals and railways. The usefulness of the canals was short-lived, though they have now been restored for recreation. [[Chard, Somerset|Chard]] claims to be the birthplace of [[powered flight]], in 1848 when the [[Victorian Age|Victorian]] aeronautical pioneer [[John Stringfellow]] first demonstrated that engine-powered flight was possible through his work on the [[Aerial Steam Carriage]].<ref>{{cite book | url= https://books.google.com/books?id=qNp3JM35UMoC&q=john+stringfellow+chard&pg=RA1-PA678 | title= Biographical Dictionary of the History of Technology | first1= Lance | last1= Day | last2= McNeil|first2= Ian | page= 678 | year= 1998 | publisher= Taylor & Francis | isbn= 0-415-19399-0}}</ref><ref name=ChardFirst>{{cite news | url= https://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml?xml=/opinion/2006/10/07/dl0703.xml | title= Chard was there first | work= Daily Telegraph | date= 7 October 2006 | access-date= 17 October 2008 | location= London | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20061029142320/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml?xml=%2Fopinion%2F2006%2F10%2F07%2Fdl0703.xml | archive-date= 29 October 2006 | url-status= dead }}</ref> [[North Petherton]] was the first town in England (and one of the few ever) to be lit by [[acetylene]] gas lighting.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=18684 |title=North Petherton |access-date=19 November 2007 |work=British History Online |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110525092236/http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=18684 |archive-date=25 May 2011 |url-status=live }}</ref> [[File:Portiishead power station.jpg|thumb|left|[[Portishead power station]]]] Around the 1860s, at the height of the iron and steel era, a [[pier]] and a deep-water [[Dock (maritime)|dock]] were built, at [[Portishead, Somerset|Portishead]] to accommodate the large ships that had difficulty in reaching [[Bristol Harbour]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Awdry|first=Christopher|author-link=Christopher Awdry|title=Encyclopaedia of British Railway Companies|publisher=Patrick Stephens Ltd |year=1990 |isbn=978-1-85260-049-5|page=19}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Smith|first=Martin|title=The Railways of Bristol & Somerset|publisher=Ian Allan Publishing |location=Sherton |year=1992 |isbn=978-0-7110-2063-4|page=96}}</ref> The [[Portishead power station]]s were coal-fed [[power station]]s built next to the dock. Industrial activities ceased in the dock with the closure of the power stations. The Port of Bristol Authority finally closed the dock in 1992,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.opsi.gov.uk/Acts/localact1992/ukla_19920021_en_1|title=City of Bristol (Portishead Docks) Act|year=1992|publisher=Office of Public Sector Information|access-date=1 December 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080925100604/http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/localact1992/ukla_19920021_en_1|archive-date=25 September 2008|url-status=live}}</ref> and it has now been developed into a marina and residential area. During the [[First World War]] many soldiers from the South West were killed, and war memorials were put up in most of the towns and villages; only a few villages escaped casualties. There were also casualties – though much fewer – during the Second World War, who were added to the memorials. Several areas were bases for troops preparing for the 1944 [[D-Day]] landings. [[Exercise Tiger]], or Operation Tiger, was the code names for a full-scale rehearsal in 1944 for the [[Operation Overlord|D-Day]] invasion of [[Normandy]]. The British Government evacuated approximately 3,000 local residents in the area of [[Slapton, Devon|Slapton]], now [[South Hams|South Hams District]] of [[Devon]].<ref>[http://www.devon.gov.uk/index/environment/historic_environment/slapton-line/sl-monument_rededication.htm?textsize=1 Slapton Line: Slapton Monument Rededication] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160531051958/http://www.devon.gov.uk/index/environment/historic_environment/slapton-line/sl-monument_rededication.htm?textsize=1 |date=31 May 2016 }} – Devon County Council – Devon.gov.uk – Updated 9 March 2007</ref> Some of them had never left their villages before.<ref name=stokes>Stokes, Paul. "Veterans honour 749 who died in D-Day rehearsal" – ''[[The Daily Telegraph|The Daily Telegraph – London]]'' – 29 April 1994</ref> Bristol's city centre suffered severe damage from [[Luftwaffe]] bombing during the [[Bristol Blitz]] of World War II.<ref>[http://fishponds.org.uk/luftbrim.html John Penny MA; The Luftwaffe over the Bristol area 1940–44] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110511144048/http://fishponds.org.uk/luftbrim.html |date=11 May 2011 }} Retrieved 14 July 2008</ref> The [[Royal Ordnance Factory]] [[ROF Bridgwater]] was constructed early in [[World War II]] for the [[Ministry of Supply (United Kingdom)|Ministry of Supply]].<ref name=cocroft>Cocroft, Wayne D. (2000). ''Dangerous Energy: The archaeology of gunpowder and military explosives manufacture''. Swindon: English Heritage. {{ISBN|1-85074-718-0}}</ref> The [[Taunton Stop Line]] was set up to resist a potential German invasion, and the remains of its [[Bunker|pill boxes]] can still be seen, as well as others along the coast.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pillboxes-somerset.com/taunton_stop_line.htm |title=Taunton Stop Line |access-date=25 October 2007 |work=Pillboxes Somerset |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071028164855/http://www.pillboxes-somerset.com/taunton_stop_line.htm |archive-date=28 October 2007 }}</ref> [[File:PorlockVale.jpg|thumb|[[Porlock]], [[Exmoor]]]] [[Exmoor]] was one of the first British National Parks, designated in 1954, under the 1949 [[National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act]].<ref name="authority">{{cite web |url=http://www.everythingexmoor.org.uk/_E/Exmoor_National_Park_Authority.php |title=Exmoor National Park Authority |access-date=16 October 2007 |work=Everything Exmoor |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071010125203/http://everythingexmoor.org.uk/_E/Exmoor_National_Park_Authority.php |archive-date=10 October 2007 |url-status=live }}</ref> and is named after its main river. It was expanded in 1991 and in 1993 Exmoor was designated as an [[Environmentally Sensitive Area]]. The [[Quantock Hills]] were designated as an [[Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty]] (AONB) in 1956, the first such designation in England under the [[National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949]]. The [[Mendip Hills]] followed with AONB designation in 1972.<ref>{{cite web | title=The Mendip Society website | url=http://www.mendipsociety.org.uk/ | access-date=17 February 2007 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070205045607/http://www.mendipsociety.org.uk/ | archive-date=5 February 2007 | url-status=live }}</ref> ===World War II=== [[File:BernardLovell.jpg|thumb|left|Bernard Lovell]] Much of the [[Battle of the Beams]] was carried out at the [[Telecommunications Research Establishment]] at [[Worth Matravers]] in Dorset; the [[H2S (radar)|H2S]] radar was developed by Sir [[Bernard Lovell]] of Bristol. The [[Gloster Meteor]] at [[Classic Air Force|Newquay Air Museum]] is the oldest flying jet aircraft in the world. [[Long Ashton Research Station]] in Somerset invented [[Ribena]] (for population health in World War II) and improved cider. ===Scientific heritage=== [[William Herschel]], previously a clarinet player, of Bath discovered [[infrared]] radiation on 11 February 1800, and the planet [[Uranus]] in March 1781; he had made important improvements to the [[reflecting telescope]] by increasing the mirror diameter. Herschel then built a 20-ft reflecting telescope and invented the [[star count]], working out that the [[Milky Way]] is a disc, which he called a ''grindstone'', and that it is a galaxy. Sir [[Arthur C. Clarke]] of [[Minehead]] invented the idea of artificial [[satellite]]s; he sent a letter to [[Harry Wexler]] who then developed the first [[weather satellite]] [[TIROS-1]]. Sir [[Arthur Eddington]] of Weston-super-Mare was the first to realise that [[nuclear fusion]] powered the Sun; at the 1920 [[British Science Association|British Association]] meeting he said that the Sun converted hydrogen into helium, although the mechanism was not known until 1933. [[James Bradley]] was an important astronomer from Gloucestershire, who discovered the [[aberration of light]]. [[Jan Ingenhousz]], the Dutch biologist, discovered [[photosynthesis]] in 1779 at [[Bowood House]] in Wiltshire; on 1 August 1774, [[Joseph Priestley]] discovered oxygen there too. A fossil of the oldest ancestor of the [[Tyrannosaurus]] was found in Gloucestershire; [[Mary Anning]] was a famous fossil collector from [[Lyme Regis]]. [[Edward Jenner]], pioneer of vaccination, was from Gloucestershire. ===Industrial heritage=== Sir [[Benjamin Baker (engineer)|Benjamin Baker]] from Cheltenham jointly-designed the 1890 [[Forth Bridge]]. [[William Murdoch]] in 1792 lit his house in Redruth with gas, the first in Britain. [[Plasticine]] was invented 1897 in Bath by [[William Harbutt]]. [[Thomas Young (scientist)|Thomas Young]] of Somerset is known for his [[double-slit experiment]] in optics, and in [[solid mechanics]] for his famous [[Young's modulus]]. [[Henry Fox Talbot]], inventor of a [[Negative (photography)|negative-positive]] [[Calotype|process]] in 1841, from Wiltshire made the first photograph in August 1835; [[Nicéphore Niépce]] of France can claim the [[View from the Window at Le Gras|first photo]] in 1826; [[William Friese-Greene]] of Bristol is thought to be the ''father of cinematography'' after inventing his ''chronophotographic camera'' in 1889. [[Hinkley Point A nuclear power station]] was a [[Magnox]] [[power station]] constructed between 1957 and 1962 and operating until ceasing generation in 2000.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/somerset/content/articles/2005/12/06/pwaod_hinkley_feature.shtml|title=Hinkley A: 1965|work=BBC Somerset|publisher=BBC|access-date=5 July 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060718151110/http://www.bbc.co.uk/somerset/content/articles/2005/12/06/pwaod_hinkley_feature.shtml|archive-date=18 July 2006|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Hinkley Point B nuclear power station|Hinkley Point B]] is an [[Advanced gas cooled reactor|Advanced Gas-cooled Reactor]] (AGR) which was designed to generate 1250 MW of electricity ([[MWe#Electrical and thermal|MWe]]). Construction of Hinkley Point B started in 1967. In September 2008 it was announced, by [[Électricité de France]] (EDF), that a third, twin-unit [[EPR (nuclear reactor)|European Pressurised Reactor]] (EPR) power station known as [[Hinkley Point C nuclear power station|Hinkley Point C]] is planned,<ref name="new dawn for Uk nuclear power">{{cite news | url=http://www.world-nuclear-news.org/NN_New_dawn_for_UK_nuclear_power_2409081.html | title=New dawn for UK nuclear power | publisher=World Nuclear News | date=24 September 2008 | access-date=25 September 2008 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080925133549/http://www.world-nuclear-news.org/NN_New_dawn_for_UK_nuclear_power_2409081.html | archive-date=25 September 2008 | url-status=live }}</ref> to replace Hinkley Point B which was due for closure in 2016,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/energy/3073749/Nuclear-energy-British-Energy-facts.html |title=Nuclear energy: British Energy facts |work=The Daily Telegraph |access-date=25 September 2008 |location=London |date=24 September 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080927074509/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/energy/3073749/Nuclear-energy-British-Energy-facts.html |archive-date=27 September 2008 |url-status=live }}</ref> now extended until 2022. In 1989 the [[Berkeley nuclear power station]] was the first in the UK to be decommissioned. The [[steam-generating heavy water reactor]] was developed at [[Winfrith]] in Dorset. [[Edgar F. Codd|Ted Codd]], inventor of databases and [[SQL]], was from Poole. [[Campden BRI]] at [[Ebrington]] in north-east Gloucestershire was an important research centre for [[Canning|canned food]]; [[J. S. Fry & Sons]] of Bristol made world's first chocolate bar in 1847. The first [[carpet]]s were made in Britain in 1741 at [[Wilton, Wiltshire]]. In 1698, [[Thomas Savery]] of Devon developed an early [[steam engine]]; [[Thomas Newcomen]] from Dartmouth made another early steam engine in 1710. [[Edward Butler (inventor)|Edward Butler]], a farmer from Devon born in [[Bickington]] in 1862, invented the petrol engine. ==Demographics== [[File:Regional profile of the South West.png|thumb|Regional profile of the South West in 2011]] [[File:South West of England population pyramid 2020.svg|thumb|200x200px|Population pyramid of the South West in 2020]]At the [[United Kingdom Census 2021|2021 census]], the population of the South West region was 5,701,186 <ref name="ons.gov.uk">{{Cite web |title=Ethnic group - Office for National Statistics |url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/datasets/TS021/editions/2021/versions/1/filter-outputs/d2f0a39a-75b6-4995-b4bd-a5b68ff79027#get-data |access-date=29 November 2022 |website=www.ons.gov.uk}}</ref> It has long been one of the fastest-growing regions in England and its 2021 population had increased by 7.8% since 2011 (when it was 5,288,935), and by 15.7% over the 2001 figure (4,928,434). At the 2021 census, the proportion of white people in the region decreased from 95.4% to 93.1%, while the proportion of black and Asian residents increased significantly. At that time, 87.8% of the region's residents were classed as White British, which was higher than the England average of 73.5%.<ref name="ons.gov.uk"/> The region had the oldest [[Population pyramid|median age]] in England; in the 2011 census, [[West Somerset]] had the UK's oldest average age – almost 48. The region had the second-highest proportion (23%) of rural population in the UK, after Northern Ireland. {{Historical populations |title = Historical Population of the South West of England |type = |footnote = |align = |width = |state = |shading = |pop_name = |percentages = pagr |source = A Vision of Britain through Time<ref>[https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10089803/cube/TOT_POP the South West GovOf through time | Population Statistics | Total Population] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121012152032/http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/data_cube_page.jsp?data_theme=T_POP&data_cube=N_TOT_POP&u_id=10205724&c_id=10001043&add=N|date=12 October 2012}}. Visionofbritain.org.uk. Retrieved on 14 March 2021</ref> |1801|1,355,811 |1811|1,498,569 |1821|1,754,725 |1831|1,981,488 |1841|2,173,157 |1851|2,263,070 |1861|2,319,593 |1881|2,444,167 |1891|2,543,186 |1911|2,825,046 |1921|2,877,866 |1931|2,989,977 |1951|3,483,675 |1961|3,693,029 |1971|4,132,770 |1981|4,163,729 |1991|4,610,241 |2001|4,928,364 |2011|5,288,935 |2021|5,701,186}} === Ethnicity === {| class="wikitable" ! rowspan="3" |Ethnic group ! colspan="8" |Year |- ! colspan="2" |1991<ref>As UK Census data past 2001 is unavailable through the ONS website, it has been [https://www.ons.gov.uk/census/2011census/2011censusdata/censusdata18011991 recommended] to use archival census collection websites. Data is from the [[UK Data Service]], [http://casweb.ukdataservice.ac.uk/step1.cfm 1991 Census on Ethnic Data for England] (Table 6)</ref> ! colspan="2" |2001<ref>{{Cite web |title=Office of National Statistics; 2001 Census Key Statistics |url=https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20160105160709/http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/census/census-2001-key-statistics/local-authorities-in-england-and-wales/local-authorities-ks06--ethnic-group.xls |access-date=24 June 2022 |website=webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk}}</ref> ! colspan="2" |2011<ref>{{Cite web |title=2011 Census: Ethnic Group, local authorities in England and Wales |url=https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20160105160709/http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/census/2011-census/key-statistics-for-local-authorities-in-england-and-wales/rft-table-ks201ew.xls |access-date=24 June 2022 |website=webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk}}</ref> ! colspan="2" |2021<ref name="ons.gov.uk"/> |- !Number !% !Number !% !Number !% !Number !% |- | | | | | | | | | |- ![[White people in the United Kingdom|White]]: Total !4,546,848 !98.6% !4,815,316 !97.7% !5,046,429 !95.41% !5,309,608 !93.1% |- |White: [[White British|British]] |– |– |4,701,602 |95.39% |4,855,676 |91.8% |5,008,149 |87.8% |- |White: [[Irish Briton|Irish]] |– |– |32,484 |0.65% |28,616 |0.54% |31,698 |0.6% |- |White: [[Irish Traveller]]/[[Romani people|Gypsy]] |– |– | – | – |5,631 | |6,382 |0.1% |- |White: Roma |– |– |– |– |– |– |5,785 |0.1% |- |White: [[White Other (United Kingdom Census)|Other]] |– |– |81,230 |1.64% |156,506 |2.95% |257,594 |4.5% |- ![[British Asian|Asian or Asian British]]: Total !28,368 !0.6% !45,522 !0.92% !105,537 !1.99% !159,184 !2.8% |- |Asian or Asian British: [[Non-resident Indian and person of Indian origin|Indian]] |10,915 | |16,394 | |34,188 | |58,847 |1.0% |- |Asian or Asian British: [[British Pakistani|Pakistani]] |3,925 | |6,729 | |11,622 | |17,432 |0.3% |- |Asian or Asian British: [[British Bangladeshi|Bangladeshi]] |2,308 | |4,816 | |8,416 | |12,217 |0.2% |- |Asian or Asian British: [[British Chinese|Chinese]] |6,687 | |12,722 | |22,243 | |26,516 |0.5% |- |Asian or Asian British: [[British Asian|Asian Other]] |4,533 | |4,861 | |29,068 | |44,172 |0.8% |- ![[Black British people|Black or Black British]]: Total !21,779 !0.5% !20,920 !0.42% !49,476 !0.93% !69,614 !1.3% |- |Black or Black British: [[Black British|African]] |2,820 | |6,171 | |24,226 | |43,318 |0.8% |- |Black or Black British: [[British African-Caribbean community|Caribbean]] |12,387 | |12,405 | |15,129 | |17,226 |0.3% |- |Black or Black British: [[Other Black|Other]] |6,572 | |2,344 | |10,121 | |9,070 |0.2% |- ![[Mixed (United Kingdom ethnicity category)|Mixed]]: Total !– !– !37,371 !0.75% !71,884 !1.35% !114,074 !2% |- |Mixed: [[White people|White]] and [[British African-Caribbean community|Caribbean]] |– |– |13,343 | |25,669 | |33,217 |0.6% |- |Mixed: [[White people|White]] and [[Black British|African]] |– |– |3,917 | |8,550 | |15,644 |0.3% |- |Mixed: [[White people|White]] and [[British Asian|Asian]] |– |– |11,198 | |21,410 | |34,960 |0.6% |- |Mixed: [[Multiracial|Other Mixed]] |– |– |8,913 | |16,255 | |30,253 |0.5% |- !Other: Total !12,429 !0.3% !9,305 !0.18% !15,609 !0.29% !48,706 !0.9% |- |Other: [[Arab people|Arab]] |– |– | – | – |5,692 | |10,302 |0.2% |- |Other: Any other ethnic group |12,429 |0.3% |9,305 |0.18% |9,917 | |38,404 |0.7% |- !Ethnic minority: Total !62,576 !1.4% !113,118 !2.3% !242,506 !4.6% !391,578 !6.9% |- | | | | | | | | | |- !Total !4,609,424 !100% !4,928,434 !100% !5,288,935 !100% !5,701,186 !100% |} ===Religion=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |+ Religion in South West England |- ! rowspan="2" |Religion ! colspan="2" |[[2021 United Kingdom census|2021]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=TS030 - Religion Edit query|url=https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/datasets/c2021ts030|access-date=2022-11-29|website=www.nomisweb.co.uk}}</ref> ! colspan="2" |[[2011 United Kingdom census|2011]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=KS209EW (Religion) - Nomis - 2011 |url=https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/census/2011/ks209ew |access-date=2022-10-18 |website=www.nomisweb.co.uk}}</ref> ! colspan="2" |[[2001 United Kingdom census|2001]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=KS007 - Religion - Nomis - 2001 |url=https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/datasets/ks007 |access-date=2022-10-18 |website=www.nomisweb.co.uk}}</ref> |- !Number !{{Abbr|%|percentage}} !Number !{{Abbr|%|percentage}} !Number !{{Abbr|%|percentage}} |- |[[History of Christianity in Britain|Christianity]] | 2,635,872 | 46.2% | 3,194,066 | 60.4% | 3,646,488 | 74.0% |- |[[Islam in the United Kingdom|Islam]] | 80,152 | 1.4% | 51,228 | 1.0% | 23,465 | 0.5% |- |[[Hinduism in the United Kingdom|Hinduism]] | 27,746 | 0.5% | 16,324 | 0.3% | 8,288 | 0.2% |- |[[Buddhism in the United Kingdom|Buddhism]] | 24,579 | 0.4% | 19,730 | 0.4% | 11,299 | 0.2% |- |[[Sikhism in the United Kingdom|Sikhism]] | 7,465 | 0.1% | 5,892 | 0.1% | 4,614 | 0.1% |- |[[History of the Jews in the United Kingdom|Judaism]] | 7,387 | 0.1% | 6,365 | 0.1% | 6,747 | 0.1% |- |Other religion | 36,884 | 0.6% | 29,279 | 0.6% | 18,221 | 0.4% |- |[[Irreligion in the United Kingdom|No religion]] | 2,513,369 | 44.1% | 1,549,201 | 29.3% | 825,461 | 16.7% |- |Religion not stated | 367,732 | 6.5% | 416,850 | 7.9% | 383,851 | 7.8% |- !Total population ! '''5,701,186''' ! '''100%''' ! '''5,288,935''' ! '''100%''' ! '''4,928,434''' ! '''100%''' |- |} ===Housing=== 35% of people in the region own their homes outright, with no debt, the highest in the UK. The Cotswold district had the biggest house price increases in the region, and the second-biggest in the UK outside of London and the South-East, in a March 2015 survey. [[Weymouth and Portland]] has the highest council tax in England. West Somerset has the lowest average full-time pay at £287; West Somerset is also the district where poor children do much worse than wealthier children at school, with some of the worst differences in the UK, according to [[Ambition School Leadership]]. ===Teenage pregnancy=== For top-tier authorities, Torbay has the highest teenage pregnancy rate in the region,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thisissouthdevon.co.uk/news/Disappointment-teen-pregnancies-increase/article-1093382-detail/article.html|title=Disappointment as teen pregnancies increase|date=20 June 2009|publisher=This is South Devon|access-date=9 September 2009}}</ref> with Exeter the highest rate for council districts. For top-tier authorities, North Somerset (closely followed by Bath & NE Somerset) has the lowest rate, with [[Cotswold (district)|Cotswold]] having the lowest rate for council districts. ===Health=== The population in the region with the highest obesity level is [[Sedgemoor]] in Somerset, with 73.4%, the fifth in the UK.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Baker |first=Carl |date=2021 |title=House of Commons Library: Briefing paper number 3336, 12 January 2021: Obesity statistics |url=https://dera.ioe.ac.uk/id/eprint/37120/ |access-date=2025-02-20 |website=dera.ioe.ac.uk |language=en}}</ref> North Dorset has the lowest proportion of cancer deaths in England – 97 per 100,000 (the England average is 142 per 100,000), down from 162 ten years earlier.{{when|date=January 2024}} In the 2011 census, East Dorset had the highest rate of marriage in the UK; East Dorset also has the third-highest life expectancy for men in the UK at 82.7.{{citation needed|date=January 2024}} ===Crime=== For England and Wales in 2015, [[Wiltshire Police|Wiltshire]] has the fourth-lowest crime rate, and [[Devon and Cornwall Police|Devon and Cornwall]] has the fifth-lowest. ===Deprivation=== As measured by the [[Indices of deprivation 2007|English Indices of Deprivation 2007]], the region shows similarities with [[Southern England]] in having more [[Super Output Areas|Lower Layer Super Output Areas]] in the 20% least [[Multiple deprivation index|multiple deprived]] districts than the 20% most deprived.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/communities/pdf/576659.pdf |title=Deprivation indices 2007 |access-date=24 May 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120609171001/http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/communities/pdf/576659.pdf |archive-date= 9 June 2012 }}</ref> The relative amount of deprivation is similar to the [[East Midlands]], except the South West has many fewer deprived areas. According to the LSOA data in 2007, the most deprived districts<ref>{{cite web|url=http://data.gov.uk/dataset/index_of_multiple_deprivation_imd_2007|title=Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) 2007|date=9 February 2010 |publisher=Data.gov|access-date=9 February 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130127164056/http://data.gov.uk/dataset/index_of_multiple_deprivation_imd_2007|archive-date=27 January 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> (before Cornwall became a unitary authority) were, in descending order: Bristol (64th in England), Torbay (71st), Plymouth (77th), [[Kerrier]] (86th), [[Restormel]] (89th), [[North Cornwall]] (96th), and West Somerset (106th). At county level, the deprived areas are City of Bristol (49th in England), Torbay (55th), Plymouth (58th), and Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly (69th). The least deprived council districts are, in descending order: East Dorset, North Wiltshire, South Gloucestershire, Cotswold, Kennet, Stroud, Tewkesbury, West Wiltshire, Salisbury, and Bath and North East Somerset. At county level, the least deprived areas, in descending order, are South Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, Bath and North East Somerset, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Poole, North Somerset, and Somerset. For smaller areas, the least-deprived in the region are E01015563 (139th in England) – Shaw and Nine Elms ward, in north Swindon; E01014791 (163rd in England) – Portishead East ward, in North Somerset off the A369 in [[Portishead and North Weston]]; E01020377 (184th in England) – [[Colehill]] East ward, in East Dorset, east of Wimborne Minster. In March 2011, the region had the second-lowest [[Jobseeker's Allowance|unemployment claimant]] count in England, second to [[South East England]], with 2.7%. Inside the region, [[Torbay]] has the highest rate with 4.5%, followed by Bristol and Plymouth with 3.8%. East Dorset has the lowest rate with 1.4%.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/regional-analysis/changing-regional-economies/changing-regional-economies/changing-regional-economies---south-west.pdf |title=Changing Regional Economies — South West |publisher=Office for National Statistics |access-date=17 July 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120916105720/http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/regional-analysis/changing-regional-economies/changing-regional-economies/changing-regional-economies---south-west.pdf |archive-date=16 September 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref> ==Language== {{Main|West Country dialects|Cornish language}} The [[Cornish language]] evolved from the [[Southwestern Brythonic languages|Southwestern]] dialect of the [[Common Brittonic language|Brittonic language]] spoken during the [[British Iron Age|Iron Age]] and [[Roman Britain|Roman period]].<ref>{{Cite book|author=Jackson, Kenneth|title=Language and History in Early Britain|location=Edinburgh| publisher=Edinburgh University Press|year=1953}}</ref> The area controlled by the Britons was progressively reduced by the expansion of [[Wessex]] after the 6th century, and in 936 [[Athelstan of England|Athelstan]] set the east bank of the [[River Tamar|Tamar]] as the boundary between [[Anglo-Saxon]] [[Wessex]] and [[Celts|Celtic]] Cornwall.<ref name="autogenerated3">[[Philip Payton|Payton, Philip]] ''Cornwall''. Fowey: Alexander Associates (1996).</ref> The Cornish language continued to flourish during the [[Middle Ages]] but declined thereafter, and the last speaker of traditional Cornish died in the 19th century.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://kernowek.com/pages/cornish-history-kernowek-kernewek.html | title=The Cornish Language | publisher=Kernowek | access-date=9 February 2013 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120919202534/http://kernowek.com/pages/cornish-history-kernowek-kernewek.html | archive-date=19 September 2012 | url-status=live }}</ref> Geographical names derived from the British language are widespread in South West England, and include several examples of the [[River Avon (disambiguation)|River Avon]], from ''abonā'' = "river" (cf. [[Welsh language|Welsh]] ''afon''), and the words "[[tor (rock formation)|tor]]" and "[[wikt:combe|combe]]".<ref>Gover, J.; Mawer, A. and Stenton, F. M. ''Place-Names of Devon'', 1932</ref> Until the 19th century, the [[West Country]] and its dialects of the [[English language]] were largely protected from outside influences, due to its relative geographical isolation. The West Country dialects derive not from a corrupted form of modern English, but from the Southwestern dialects of [[Middle English]], which themselves derived from the dialects of the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of [[Wessex]]. [[Late West Saxon]], which formed the earliest English language standard, from the time of King Alfred until the late 11th century, is the form in which the majority of Anglo-Saxon texts are preserved. [[Thomas Spencer Baynes]] claimed in 1856 that, due to its position at the heart of the Kingdom of Wessex, the relics of Anglo-Saxon accent, idiom and vocabulary were best preserved in the Somerset dialect. There is some influence from the [[Welsh language|Welsh]] and [[Cornish language|Cornish]] languages, depending on the specific location. West Country dialects are commonly represented as "[[Mummerset]]", a kind of catchall southern [[rural]] accent invented for broadcasting. ==Economy and industry== [[File:Bristol pw from ms.jpg|thumb|left|Historic docks on [[Bristol Harbour]], within the region's most productive economy]] [[File:Porthcurno Aerial photo TomCorser2005.jpg|thumb|left|Since the decline of mining, Cornwall's economy has been reliant on agriculture and tourism]] The most economically productive areas within the region are Bristol, the [[M4 corridor]] and south east Dorset, which are the areas with the best links to London. Bristol alone accounts for a quarter of the region's economy, with the surrounding areas of Gloucestershire, Somerset and Wiltshire accounting for a further quarter.<ref name=eu_portrait>{{cite web | work= [[Eurostat]] & [[Office for National Statistics]], 2004 | url= http://forum.europa.eu.int/irc/dsis/regportraits/info/data/en/ukk_eco.htm | title= Portrait of South West England: Economy | access-date= 14 April 2006 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070311002315/http://forum.europa.eu.int/irc/dsis/regportraits/info/data/en/ukk_eco.htm | archive-date= 11 March 2007 | url-status= live }}</ref> Bristol's economy has been built on maritime trade, including the import of tobacco and the [[History of slavery|slave trade]]. Since the early 20th century, however, [[aeronautics]] have taken over as the basis of Bristol's economy, with companies including [[Airbus|Airbus UK]], [[Rolls-Royce Holdings|Rolls-Royce]] (military division) and [[BAE Systems]] (former [[Bristol Aeroplane Company]] then [[British Aircraft Corporation|BAC]]) manufacturing in [[Filton]]. [[Defence Equipment & Support]] is at [[MoD Abbey Wood]]. More recently defence, telecommunications, information technology and electronics have been important industries in Bristol, Swindon and elsewhere. The [[Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency]], the [[Soil Association]], [[Clerical Medical]], and [[Bristol Water]] are in Bristol; [[Indesit]] makes [[Clothes dryer|tumble dryer]]s in [[Yate]]; [[Hewlett-Packard|HP]] and [[Infineon Technologies|Infineon Technologies UK]] are at [[Stoke Gifford]]. [[Knorr-Bremse|Knorr-Bremse UK]] make [[Air brake (road vehicle)|air brake]]s in [[Emersons Green]]. The [[South West Observatory]]'s Economy Module provides a detailed analysis of the region's economy.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://economy.swo.org.uk |title=Economy Module |publisher=Economy.swo.org.uk |access-date=24 May 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120525003833/http://economy.swo.org.uk/ |archive-date=25 May 2012 }}</ref> The region's [[Gross value added]] (GVA) breaks down as 69.9% [[service industry]], 28.1% [[Manufacturing|production industry]] and 2.0% agriculture. This is a slightly higher proportion in production, and lower proportion in services, than the UK average. Agriculture, though in decline, is important in many parts of the region. [[Dairy farming]] is especially important in Dorset and Devon, and the region has 1.76 million cattle, second to only one other UK region, and {{convert|3520|sqmi|km2|0}} of grassland, more than any other region. Only 5.6% of the region's agriculture is [[arable agriculture|arable]].<ref name=eu_portrait/> Tourism is important in the region, and in 2003 the tourist sector contributed £4,928 million to the region's economy.<ref>{{cite web | url= http://www.southwestrda.org.uk/region/tourism.shtm | title= Tourism contribution figures | work= South West Regional Development Agency | access-date= 16 June 2007 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070612135628/http://www.southwestrda.org.uk/region/tourism.shtm | archive-date= 12 June 2007 | url-status= live }}</ref> In 2001 the GVA of the hotel industry was £2,200 million, and the region had 13,800 hotels with 250,000 bed spaces.<ref name=eu_portrait/> There are large differences in prosperity between the eastern parts of the region and the west. While Bristol is the second most affluent large city in England after London,<ref>Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, 2004. "[http://www.odpm.gov.uk/embedded_object.asp?id=1128513 Competitive European Cities: Where do the Core Cities stand? Urban Research Summary 13] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051030102940/http://www.odpm.gov.uk/embedded_object.asp?id=1128513 |date=30 October 2005 }}." Page 12 (PDF)</ref> parts of Cornwall have among the lowest average incomes in Northern Europe. [[File:Ludgvan field penwith cornwall.jpg|thumb|Vegetable crop south of Ludgvan]] The region's [[Manufacturing Advisory Service]] is on the [[A38 road|A38]] north of Gloucester at [[Twigworth]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mas.bis.gov.uk/south-west/ |title=Manufacturing Advisory Service |publisher=Mas.bis.gov.uk |access-date=24 May 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111227095818/http://www.mas.bis.gov.uk/south-west/ |archive-date=27 December 2011 |url-status=live }}</ref> and the [[UK Trade & Investment]] office is at the Leigh Court Business Centre in [[Abbots Leigh]], [[North Somerset]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ukti.gov.uk/export/unitedkingdom/southwest.html |title=UKTI |publisher=UKTI |access-date=24 May 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120615114951/http://www.ukti.gov.uk/export/unitedkingdom/southwest.html |archive-date=15 June 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref> ===Cornwall=== {{Main|Economy of Cornwall|Cornish cuisine}} [[File:Davidstow Creamery - geograph.org.uk - 730296.jpg|thumb|left|[[Dairy Crest]] have their main cheese creamery in [[Davidstow]] making [[Cathedral City Cheddar]] and [[Davidstow Cheddar]] on the former [[RAF Davidstow Moor]], and important wartime [[RAF Coastal Command]] airfield bought by [[Cow & Gate]] in the 1950s]] Major companies in Cornwall include [[Imerys]] who are major producers of kaolin. [[Rodda's]] make [[clotted cream]] near [[Scorrier]], off the A30 east of Redruth. [[Fugro Seacore]] in [[Mongleath]] near Falmouth are leading offshore drilling contractors; [[Pendennis (company)|Pendennis]] makes [[luxury yacht]]s at [[Falmouth Docks]]. [[Kensa Heat Pumps]] are west of Truro. Cornish Country Larder, owned by Arla, make cheese ([[Cornish Brie]]) at [[Trevarrian]] on the B3276 in [[Mawgan-in-Pydar]], north of [[Newquay Airport]] (former [[RAF St Mawgan]]). [[Allen & Heath]] make [[mixing console]]s in [[Penryn, Cornwall|Penryn]]. [[Fourth Element]] (wet suits) are on the A3083 at [[Cury]], south of [[RNAS Culdrose (HMS Seahawk)|RNAS Culdrose]] and Helston. [[A.P. Valves]] make diving equipment in Helston off the B3297 on Water-Ma-Trout Ind Estate, next to [[Helston Community College]]; [[Spiral Construction]] is the UK's leading manufacturer of [[Spiral stairs|spiral staircase]]s. [[Gul (clothing)]] (watersports clothing) are on Callywith Gate Ind Est in [[Cooksland, Cornwall|Cooksland]] Bodmin at the western end of the A38, on the north end of the Bodmin bypass; [[C-Skins]] ([[wetsuit]]s) are on the Walker Lines Ind Est, south of Bodmin on the B3268; [[Fitzgerald Lighting]] are west of the [[Carminow Cross]] junction. [[GCHQ Bude]] is an important radar station in [[Morwenstow]]. On the other side of the river from Devonport is [[HMS Raleigh (shore establishment)|HMS Raleigh]], off the [[A374 road|A374]] at [[Torpoint]], home of the [[Royal Navy Submarine School]] (moved from [[HMS Dolphin (shore establishment)|HMS Dolphin]] in [[Gosport]] in 1999) and its [[Submarine Command Course]]; it provides all the training for the [[Royal Naval Reserve]] (RNR). [[File:Ginsters Bakery - geograph.org.uk - 292348.jpg|thumb|right|[[Ginsters]] have a food production plant in [[Callington, Cornwall|Callington]], off the [[A390 road|A390]] between Liskeard and Tavistock]] Cornwall has become reliant on tourism, more so than the other counties of the South West. In 2010 Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly had the lowest GVA per head of any county or unitary authority in England.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/regional-accounts/regional-gross-value-added--income-approach-/december-2011/sbd-regional-gva-dec-2011.pdf|title=Regional, sub-regional and local Gross Value Added 2010|date=14 December 2011|work=Statistical Bulletin|publisher=Office for national Statistics|page=10|access-date=9 June 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120504184949/http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/regional-accounts/regional-gross-value-added--income-approach-/december-2011/sbd-regional-gva-dec-2011.pdf|archive-date=4 May 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> It contributes only 7.4% of the region's economy<ref>{{cite web|title=The changing state of the south west 2012|url=http://www.swo.org.uk/sotsw2012/economy/|publisher=South West Observatory|access-date=17 July 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120428203909/http://www.swo.org.uk/sotsw2012/economy/|archive-date=28 April 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> and has received [[Regional policy of the European Union|EU Convergence funding]] (formerly Objective One funding) since 2000.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.objectiveone.com/|title=Objective One in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly|publisher=The Partnership Office for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly|access-date=9 June 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120701160443/http://www.objectiveone.com/|archive-date=1 July 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> Over four million people visit the county each year.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.visitengland.org/Images/GBTS%20England%20LA%20%26%20County%20%26%20Towns%202006-2010_Published%20September%202011_tcm30-26860.xls|title=Local Authority & County Analysis 2006–2010|date=September 2011|work=GBTS England LA & County & Towns 2006–2010|publisher=VisitEngland|page=5|access-date=9 June 2012}}</ref> The reasons for Cornwall's poor economic performance are complex and apparently persistent, but causes include its remoteness and poor transport links,<ref name=eu_portrait/> the decline of its traditional industries, such as [[Mining in Cornwall|mining]], agriculture and fishing, the low-wealth generating capacity of tourism, relocation of higher skilled jobs to other parts of the South West, and lack of a concerted economic strategy (although use of European Regional Development Fund and European Social Fund monies have been deployed in an attempt at restructuring).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.objectiveone.com/|title=Objective One in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly|website=www.objectiveone.com|access-date=7 June 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120701160443/http://www.objectiveone.com/|archive-date=1 July 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> ===Devon=== {{Main|Economy and industry of Devon}} {{See also|Mining in Cornwall and Devon}} [[File:Ukmo-exeter-panorama.JPG|thumb|left|The [[Met Office]], with [[cumulus humilis cloud]]; the Met Office [[Cray XC40]] (previously a [[Power 775]]) computer takes 4.8m weather observations per year; [[Robert FitzRoy]], who founded it in 1872, made the first weather forecast on 1 August 1861 in ''The Times''; isobars were invented in the late 1800s; two bodies produce [[World Area Forecast Center|windspeed for pilots]] around the world - the Met Office and the [[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration|NOAA]] ]] The [[Met Office]] is in [[Exeter]], as are [[Pennon Group]], the water company, [[Pedigree Dolls & Toys]] ([[Sindy]] doll), and [[Thrifty Car Rental]] UK, which is at Ashton Business Centre in [[St Thomas, Exeter|St Thomas]] on the A377 opposite the Exeter Retail Park. The airline [[Flybe (1979-2020)|Flybe]] was based at Exeter Airport until 2019; [[Plymouth City Airport]] closed in 2011. [[Chatham Marine]] clothing and footwear is off the B3123 on the Marsh Barton Trading Estate, near [[Alphington, Devon|Alphington]]. [[Eclipse Internet]] and [[EDF Energy]] are in the same building south-east of the Met Office next to the M5; [[Stovax Group]], who make [[Wood-burning stove|wood]] and [[Gas stove|gas-burning stove]]s, are further south on Sowton Ind Est next to [[Howmet Castings|Alcoa Howmet]] UK, who make [[vacuum alloy]] [[airfoil]] castings for industrial gas turbines. [[Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs|DEFRA]] have a main site for Devon at [[Winslade Park]], to the east at [[Clyst St Mary]]; nearby to the south on the [[A376 road|A376]] is the HQ of [[Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Service]]. [[Dormakaba]] UK, at Tiverton, are a world-leader in [[turnstile]]s, [[revolving door]]s and [[Lock (security device)|lock]]s; [[Heathcoat Fabrics]] make the ''DecelAir'' fabric for [[parachute]]s. Taw Valley cheese is made by [[Arla Foods UK]] (former Milk Link) at [[North Tawton]] off the [[A3124 road|A3124]], also the HQ of Gregory Distribution. [[XYZ Machine Tools]] is off the A38 close to the M5 bridge in [[Burlescombe]] near the Somerset boundary. [[The Donkey Sanctuary]] is in [[Sidmouth]]. [[Axminster Carpets]] makes carpets for every [[Wetherspoons]] pub.{{citation needed|date=February 2021}} [[Appledore Shipbuilders]] are based at [[Appledore, Torridge, Devon]], three miles north of [[Bideford]], who built sections of the [[Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carrier]]s. [[Parker Hannifin]] have their instrumentation division next to the [[Barnstaple Western Bypass|Taw Bridge]] ([[A361 road|A361]]) at [[Pottington]] in Barnstaple; [[CQC (company)|CQC]] makes personal equipment and [[Osprey body armour]]; off the A361 towards Barnstaple, is a [[Particle board|chipboard]] (Conti and Caberboard) plant of [[Norbord]]. Next to [[Royal Marines Base Chivenor]], [[Perrigo]] makes [[Germolene]] and own-label OTC medicines at the Wrafton Laboratories in [[Heanton Punchardon]] on the A361. [[Actavis]] UK (former Cox Pharmaceuticals, part of [[Hoechst AG]]), off the A361 east of Barnstaple, make [[levothyroxine]] and other [[thyroid hormone]]s. [[Dartington Crystal]] in [[Great Torrington|Torrington]] makes [[Royal Brierley]]. [[Pall Corporation|Pall Europe]] make filtration products in [[Ilfracombe]]. All [[Ambrosia (food brand)|Ambrosia]] (former Unilever) products are made at the [[Ambrosia Creamery]] in [[Lifton, Devon|Lifton]], off the A30 on the [[River Lyd (Devon)|River Lyd]]. [[Parkham Farms]] make [[West Country Farmhouse Cheddar|Westcountry Farmhouse Cheddar]] at [[Woolfardisworthy, Torridge]]. [[SC Group]] (Supacat) at [[Dunkeswell Aerodrome]], north of [[Honiton]], make protective vehicles for the Army, notably the [[Jackal (MWMIK)|Jackal]]; these vehicles are also made in Plymouth by [[Babcock International]] formerly [[Devonport Management Limited]] (DML); [[Oceanic Worldwide]] UK makes [[scuba diving]] gear. [[Quested (company)|Quested]] make high-end [[loudspeaker]]s on Heathpark Ind Est, west of Honiton, next to the railway. [[Centrax]] make industrial gas turbines in [[Newton Abbot]]; to the north-west, on the A38 at the A382 junction at [[Heathfield, Devon|Heathfield]] in [[Bovey Tracey]], [[British Ceramic Tile]] have the largest ceramic [[tile]] plant in Europe. [[Suttons Seeds]] is in [[Paignton]]; [[AVX Corporation|AVX]], off the [[A3022 road|A3022]], was a worldwide site for [[tantalum capacitor]]s, until the company moved production to the Czech Republic in 2009. [[Britannia Royal Naval College]] is at [[Dartmouth, Devon|Dartmouth]]. [[File:Stonehouse Pool and Boatbuilding Yard - geograph.org.uk - 325081.jpg|thumb|right|[[Princess Yachts]] make motor yachts off the [[A374 road|A374]] in [[Stonehouse, Plymouth|Stonehouse]] ]] [[HMNB Devonport]] (HMS Drake, the largest naval base in western Europe) is in Plymouth. [[Toshiba]] had a large presence in [[Ernesettle]], in the north of Plymouth, which was the second-largest employer after the Royal Navy, until they moved production of televisions to [[Kobierzyce]] in Poland in 2009; it made its last television at the site on 27 August 2009; [[Vispring]] (beds) is next to [[Kawasaki Heavy Industries|Kawasaki Precision Machinery]]. [[Snowbee]] make [[fishing tackle]]. The headquarters of the [[United Kingdom Commando Force|UK Commando Force]] is at [[Stonehouse Barracks]]. [[The Range (retailer)|The Range]] (home and leisure) is on the B3432 in [[Estover, Plymouth|Estover]] east of Plymouth Airport; opposite is [[Fine Tubes]] and further east [[Barden Corporation|Barden]] make ball-bearings for the aerospace industry; on the furthest east of the industrial estate is [[Wrigley Company]] UK; its ''[[Extra (gum)|Extra]]'' brand is the second best-selling confectionery in the UK after ''[[Cadbury Dairy Milk|Dairy Milk]]''.{{citation needed|date=February 2021}} [[File:HMS Talent (S92) at Devonport 2008.jpg|thumb|left|The [[Trafalgar-class submarine|Trafalgar-class]] [[HMS Talent (S92)]] at Devonport in February 2008]] [[X-Fab]] UK ([[semiconductor fabrication plant]], former Plessey Semiconductors) is next to the [[A386 road (England)|A386]] [[Bickleigh, South Hams|Bickleigh]] Cross roundabout; nearby [[Becton Dickinson|BD]] have a large plant making medical [[vacutainer]]s (for blood samples) on Belliver Way Ind Est in the north of Plymouth; south of BD off the B3373 in [[Southway]] is Silicon Sensing Systems (who make [[vibrating structure gyroscope]]s and are owned by [[UTC Aerospace Systems]], previously BAE Systems, and [[BAe Dynamics]], who had made [[nose cone]]s for aircraft including Concorde), and [[Schneider Electric]] UK ([[Drayton Controls]], market-leading [[thermostatic radiator valve]]s for [[central heating]], previously owned by Invensys Controls UK). [[Hemerdon Mine]], east of Plymouth, has one of the largest deposits of [[tungsten]] in the world. [[Wills Marine]] make motor [[inflatable boat]]s off the [[A379 road|A379]] in [[Kingsbridge]].{{citation needed|date=February 2021}} ===Dorset=== {{Main|Economy of Dorset}} [[New Look (clothing retailer)|New Look]] is in [[Weymouth, Dorset|Weymouth]]; it is Britain's second-biggest value clothing retailer, with over 800 stores in 21 countries. [[Wytch Farm]] ([[BP]]) is the UK's largest onshore oil field. [[Meggitt]] is a leading aerospace and defence contractor, based west of Bournemouth Airport, with [[Hobbycraft]], at a former [[British Aircraft Corporation|BAC]] works in [[Hurn]], close to [[West Parley]]. The [[Royal Armoured Corps]] is based at [[Bovington Camp]], and next door is the [[Bovington Tank Museum]]; the Army has three armoured regiments ([[Royal Dragoon Guards]], [[Royal Tank Regiment]] and [[King's Royal Hussars]]) and 227 FV4034 70-tonne [[Challenger 2]] tanks; Germany has around 1,000 tanks and Russia has 3,300. [[Westwind Air Bearings]] (owned by Novanta) is off the [[A352 road|A352]] at [[Wareham St Martin]], west of Poole, near [[Holton Heath railway station]], with [[Mathmos]] (lighting), founded by [[Edward Craven Walker]] who invented the [[lava lamp]]. [[Tata Consultancy Services]] (former [[Unisys|Unisys Insurance Services]] before 2010) is in Bournemouth. [[Imagine Publishing]], a magazine publisher, with [[The Mortgage Works]] (owned by Nationwide Building Society), is at the [[A35 road|A35]]/A347 Richmond Hill Roundabout; [[Organix (company)|Organix]] is in the centre; [[McCarthy & Stone]], who make much of Britain's retirement housing, is on the B3066. [[Liverpool Victoria|LV=]] (insurance) is at [[Frizzell House]] at [[Westbourne, Dorset|Westbourne]] at the County Gates Gyratory A35/A338 roundabout. [[JPMorgan Chase]] have their large Chaseside site at the A3060/A338 junction opposite the [[Royal Bournemouth Hospital]], [[RIAS (insurance)|RIAS]] (insurance) and [[Teachers Assurance]], towards [[Holdenhurst]]. [[File:Poole , The Lifeboat College - geograph.org.uk - 1771006.jpg|thumb|left|The [[Lifeboat College]] in Poole, where the [[Royal National Lifeboat Institution]] (RNLI) is headquartered]] [[Merlin Entertainments]] (who own [[Sea Life Centres]], and are the world's second largest [[theme park]] operator after [[Disney Parks, Experiences and Products|Disney]]) is in [[Poole]] with a former division, [[Aquarium Technology]], at the end of the A350 near the [[Twin Sails bridge]]. [[Ryvita]] is made in [[Parkstone]] on the B3061. [[Fitness First]], the largest privately owned health club group in the world, originated in Bournemouth and is now globally headquartered south of Fleet's Corner. [[Siemens Plessey|Siemens Traffic Controls]] make most of the UK's traffic lights west near Fleet's Corner; the main traffic light in the UK is the Siemens Helios (the other make is the [[Peek Traffic|Peek]] Elite). North of Fleets Lane, south of the Wessex Gate Retail Park, is [[Parvalux]], on the A3049 on the West Howe Ind Estate in [[Wallisdown]], which makes geared [[Brushed DC electric motor|DC electric motor]]s and gearboxes; further south is [[Faerch Plast]] (former [[Sealed Air]], which makes trays for food) then Fitness First, and [[Aeronautical & General Instruments]]; further north is [[Lush (company)|Lush]], the cosmetics company, with Hamworthy [[Wärtsilä]] (Finnish), and Hamworthy Combustion (owned by [[Koch Industries]]), at the A349/A3049 junction in [[Fleetsbridge]], is an international engineering consultancy. [[Sunseeker]] International is a main motor [[yacht]] manufacturer; it made the boat in the opening sequence of ''[[The World Is Not Enough]]''. The [[Special Boat Service]] is based at [[RM Poole]], home of the Navy's [[amphibious warfare]] section, off the B3068 at [[Hamworthy]] in the west of Poole. [[Tangerine Confectionery]] (former Parrs) made gums and jellies on the Redlands Trading Estate off the [[A3040 road (Great Britain)|A3040]] near [[Branksome railway station]] to the east. [[Aish Technologies]] makes console (display) systems for the Royal Navy off B3068 in [[Alderney, Dorset|Alderney]]. [[File:Yoyager-underwing-cobham-pod.jpg|thumb|right|Cobham underwing refuelling pod on an RAF Voyager, or [[Airbus A330 MRTT]] (the aircraft is made at [[Construcciones Aeronáuticas SA|CASA]], part of [[Airbus Defence and Space]], in [[Getafe]] in central Spain)]] [[Cobham plc]], in [[Wimborne Minster]] towards [[Leigh, Dorset|Leigh]], is a world-leader in [[Aerial refueling|air-to-air refuelling]], developed by [[Alan Cobham]] at [[RAF Tarrant Rushton]], and aircraft antennas. [[Durable]] UK (office products) is in Wimborne; [[Caterpillar Inc|Caterpillar]]'s Wimborne Marine Power Centre make [[Perkins Engines|Perkins]] Sabre marine diesel generators on [[Ferndown]] Ind Est off the A31; to the south is the paint manufacturer [[Farrow & Ball]] in [[Hampreston]] and [[Stapehill]], in Ferndown. [[Manitou UK]], owner of the American [[Gehl Company]] and from [[Nanterre]] in France, is based at [[Verwood]] on the Ebblake Ind Est off the B3081 near the Hampshire boundary. [[Sigma-Aldrich]] UK (pharmaceuticals) are off the B3092 on Brickfield Business Park in [[Gillingham, Dorset|Gillingham]], next to the [[River Stour, Dorset|River Stour]] and railway. [[Cygnus Instruments]], on the B3144 in Dorchester, is the leading manufacturer of [[Ultrasonic thickness measurement|ultrasonic thickness]] gauges, developing the technique in the early 1980s. [[Edwards Sports Products]] of Bridport, owned by [[Broxap]] of Staffordshire, make football goals for the [[Premier League]], and tennis nets and posts for [[The Championships, Wimbledon|Wimbledon]].{{citation needed|date=February 2021}} ===Gloucestershire=== [[File:GCHQ-aerial.jpg|thumb|right|240px|An aerial view of [[The Doughnut|GCHQ's headquarters]], 2004; the biggest employer in Gloucestershire is the intelligence agency [[Government Communications Headquarters|GCHQ]], who are based at '[[The Doughnut]]', their headquarters<ref name=Guard03>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2003/jun/10/terrorism.Whitehall|title=The Doughnut, the less secretive weapon in the fight against international terrorism|author=Richard Norton-Taylor|date=10 June 2003|work=The Guardian|access-date=15 December 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131219033921/http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2003/jun/10/terrorism.Whitehall|archive-date=19 December 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> GCHQ has around 6,000 staff, [[MI5]] has 4,000, and MI6 ([[Secret Intelligence Service]]) has 3,200; GCHQ is in the west of Cheltenham, off the A40 at the [[A4013 road (Great Britain)|A4013]] roundabout at [[Fiddlers Green, Cheltenham|Fiddlers Green]], and also has a site to the east at [[Oakley, Gloucestershire|Oakley]] ]] In Cheltenham are [[Endsleigh Insurance]] in [[Shurdington]], [[Kohler Mira Ltd]] (showers), [[Superdry]] (clothing), [[Collins Bartholomew|Collins Geo]] (maps), and [[Chelsea Building Society]] are on the A435 to the south-east. North of Cheltenham at [[Bishop's Cleeve]], south of the village on the A435, is [[GE Aviation Systems|GE Aviation Systems UK]] on the large Cleeve Business Park; this which was the former 300-acre site of the Cheltenham Division of [[Smiths Group|Smiths Industries]] that made flight control systems and flight deck displays; further up the A435 is a main site of [[Zurich Insurance Group|Zurich Assurance]] UK. [[Weird Fish]] (clothing) is near [[Spirax-Sarco Engineering|Spirax-Sarco Engineering plc]] (pumps) off the [[A4019 road|A4019]] in Kingsditch in [[Swindon Village]], north of Cheltenham; on the other side of the A4019, [[Douglas Equipment]], next to [[All Saints' Academy, Cheltenham]], makes [[Pushback (aviation)|towing]] tractors for aircraft. [[Gulf Oil]] UK was headquartered on B4075 in Prestbury (near the racecourse) until 1997, when [[Royal Dutch Shell|Shell UK]] bought its petrol stations; the former headquarters became a student hall of the [[University of Gloucestershire]]. Computer security firm [[NortonLifeLock|Symantec]] have a site in Gloucester, the base of [[Ecclesiastical Insurance]]. [[Dowty Rotol]] (who make propellers) and [[Bond Aviation Group]] (helicopter leasing) are next to [[Gloucestershire Airport]] at [[Staverton, Gloucestershire|Staverton]]; Helimedia is the UK distributor of the L-3 [[Wescam]], the Canadian thermal imaging system found with many UK [[Police aviation in the United Kingdom|police air support units]] and [[Air ambulances in the United Kingdom|air ambulances]]. The [[Cheltenham & Gloucester]] bank was [[Barnwood]] (north Gloucester), next to [[Unilever]]'s manufacturing site for [[Wall's (ice cream)|Wall's]] ice cream at the [[A417 road|A417]]/A38 roundabout next to the railway; on other side of the railway in [[Elmbridge, Gloucester|Elmbridge]] is [[Lanes Health]] who make [[Olbas Oil]] and [[Kalms]]; to the south, [[EDF Energy]] (former [[British Energy]]) have their [[Nuclear power in the United Kingdom|nuclear energy]] engineering centre with [[Horizon Nuclear Power]]. Between the former C&G and EDF at Barnwood, [[Barclays]]' data centre services all of its [[Automated teller machine|ATMs]] in the south of England.{{citation needed|date=May 2020}} [[File:Main landing gear of Airbus A330 and A340.jpg|thumb|left|upright=0.75|[[Safran Landing Systems|Safran Landing Systems UK]] (former Messier-Dowty, historically Britain's main aircraft [[Landing gear|undercarriage]] manufacturer, now owned by [[Safran]]) make undercarriage for Boeing aircraft; the South West region has the most [[Aerospace industry in the United Kingdom|aerospace industry in the UK]] (followed by the North West, which has [[Warton Aerodrome|Warton]] and [[Samlesbury Aerodrome|Samlesbury]])]] [[Moog Inc|Moog Controls]] UK, on the [[Ashchurch]] Ind Estate by [[Ashchurch for Tewkesbury railway station|Ashchurch for Tewkesbury]] near junction 9 (A46) of the M5, make [[Electrohydraulic servo valve|servo valve]]s for the aerospace industry ([[Aircraft flight control system|flight control system]]s or AFCS), in [[Northway, Gloucestershire|Northway]]; also on the estate is [[Steinhoff International|Steinhoff]] UK, who own [[Sleepmasters]] and [[Bensons for Beds]]. [[Floortex]] (floor coverings) is on Tewkesbury Business Park, west of the M5 south of [[Duraflex]]. Near the M5 Ashchurch Interchange off the [[A438 road|A438]], [[RR Donnelley]] GDS print Barclaycard statements. The [[Colt Car Company|Colt Car Company UK]] (who distribute [[Mitsubishi Motors]]) are in [[Cirencester]], and [[Corin Group]] make [[Joint replacement|artificial joint]]s on the [[A429 road|A429]] near the [[Royal Agricultural University]]. The [[Stroud & Swindon Building Society]] and [[Ecotricity]] are in [[Stroud, Gloucestershire|Stroud]] near [[Stroud railway station|Stroud station]]. [[WSP Textiles]] (a former division of [[Milliken & Company|Milliken]]) on the A46 towards [[Rodborough]] in the south of Stroud make felt for [[billiard table]]s ([[Strachan cloth]]), and for [[tennis ball]]s for three [[Grand Slam (tennis)|Grand Slam]] tournaments ([[William Playne & Co|Playne's tennis ball cloth]]). [[Dairy Crest]] makes [[Frijj]] milkshake at its large dairy at [[Severnside]] on the Stroudwater Business Park at [[Stonehouse, Gloucestershire|Stonehouse]] next to the M5, within walking distance of [[Stonehouse railway station|Stonehouse station]]; nearby ReedHycalog (owned by [[National Oilwell Varco]]) make industrial [[drill bit]]s off the [[A419 road|A419]] on the Oldends Ind Est, near [[ABB]] UK, who make [[Flow measurement|flow meter]]s; [[Delphi Automotive|Delphi Diesel Systems]] UK, on the business park, make [[Unit Injector|electronic unit injector]]s; Renishaw plc have large machining centre on north of the business park; [[SKF]] (Swedish) make [[ball bearing]]s (Aeroengine & High Precision Bearings Division, for Rolls-Royce) to the south of the estate (former [[Ransome Hoffmann Pollard]]), then [[NSK Ltd.|NSK]] until 2002); the company has another site at Clevedon in Somerset. [[File:Entrance to UCAS - geograph.org.uk - 881386.jpg|thumb|right|The entrance to [[UCAS]] in 2008; it has around 37,000 courses at 370 institutions; it is in the north of Cheltenham, near the [[Cheltenham Racecourse|racecourse]] in [[Prestbury, Gloucestershire|Prestbury]] at the [[A435 road|A435]]/B4075 junction]] [[Beverage Brands]] is based at [[Hucclecote]] on the [[Gloucester Business Park]] off B4641 east of the M5 [[Brockworth, Gloucestershire|Brockworth]] Interchange, with Horizon Nuclear Power, and next to [[NHS Gloucestershire]]); in the same building is MessageLabs ([[NortonLifeLock|Symantec]]), and a main office of [[Ageas]] UK (insurance). Further south in Brockworth is [[Direct Wines]] (Laithwaites); to the east is a [[G-TEKT Corporation|G-TEKT]] (former Takao Europe) automotive [[Stamping (metalworking)|metal pressings]] and sub-assemblies factory and a large [[Invista]] textiles factory (former ICI Fibres, then Dupont from 1992, which makes nylon fibres); the site is built on the former Gloster Aircraft factory, which closed around 1960. [[Renishaw plc]] is in [[Wotton-under-Edge]], previously being in [[Nailsworth]]. [[Lister Petter]], off the [[A4135 road|A4135]] in [[Dursley]], make [[Diesel generator|diesel engine generator]] sets; [[Lister Shearing]] is the only British manufacturer of [[Hair clipper|clipping]] and [[Sheep shearing|shearing]] (animals) equipment. The [[Fire Service College]] is in [[Moreton-in-Marsh]] near [[Moreton-in-Marsh railway station|Moreton-in-Marsh station]]. [[Northcot Brick]] is at [[Blockley]], in the north-east, next to the [[Cotswold Line|railway]]; [[Per Una]] is based near [[Draycott, Gloucestershire|Draycott]]. [[Mabey Group]], off the [[A48 road|A48]] at [[Lydney]] make wind turbine towers; on the other side of the A48, [[Federal-Mogul]] have a foundry making [[camshaft]]s. [[Suntory]] (Japanese) makes [[Lucozade]] (from 1957) and [[Ribena]] (from 1947) at the [[Royal Forest Factory]] off the B4228 in [[Coleford, Gloucestershire|Coleford]] in the [[Forest of Dean (district)|Forest of Dean]]; [[William Horlick]], originator of another well-known former [[GlaxoSmithKline|GSK]] product, was born in the Forest of Dean in 1846. [[File:Westland apache wah-64d longbow zj206 arp.jpg|thumb|left|The [[Army Air Corps (United Kingdom)|Army Air Corps]] [[List of active United Kingdom military aircraft|has 67]] Yeovil-built, [[Rolls-Royce Turbomeca RTM322|Rolls-Royce RTM322]]-powered [[AgustaWestland Apache]] AH1 helicopters; since 2010, the helicopters now have the much-more advanced [[Apache Arrowhead]] night-vision system which superseded [[Target Acquisition and Designation Sights, Pilot Night Vision System|TADS/PNVS]]; in October 2016, the Royal Navy had 94 helicopters; the [[Fleet Air Arm Museum]] is Europe's largest naval air museum]] ===Somerset=== {{Main|Economy of Somerset}} [[File:Shunting the engine - geograph.org.uk - 107049.jpg|thumb|[[Mendip Vale railway station|Mendip Vale]] the nearest station to the city of [[Wells, Somerset|Wells]] which is cut off from the rest of the UK by the [[Beeching cuts]].]] [[Screwfix]] is in Yeovil, and [[C&J Clark|Clarks shoes]] with [[K-Swiss]] Europe are in [[Street, Somerset|Street]], although most of its shoes are made in the Far East. [[Shepton Mallet]] is home of [[Blackthorn Cider]] and the [[Gaymer Cider Company]]. [[Dairy Crest]] packs [[Cathedral City Cheddar|Cathedral City]] cheese in [[Frome]]. The [[Glastonbury Festival]] at [[Pilton, Somerset|Pilton]] (nearer to Shepton Mallet than Glastonbury), off the [[A361 road|A361]], is the UK's biggest music festival.<ref>{{Cite web |last=V&A |date=2022 |title=V&A · The history of Glastonbury Festival |url=https://www.vam.ac.uk/articles/the-history-of-glastonbury-festival |access-date=22 October 2022 |website=Victoria and Albert Museum |language=en}}</ref> [[File:Uniq factory, Evercreech - geograph.org.uk - 446994.jpg|thumb|left|Greencore make premium chilled desserts, such as [[tiramisu]] for M & S, at their site (former [[St Ivel]], then [[Uniq plc|Uniq]] Desserts) off the B3081 at [[Evercreech]] ]] The [[Royal Marines]] have a [[Norton Manor Camp|large base]] for [[40 Commando]] west of [[Taunton]], with their [[Commando Training Centre Royal Marines|training centre]] at [[Lympstone Commando]] in Devon, on the [[Avocet Line]] with its own station of [[Lympstone Commando railway station|Lympstone]] and the A376 and [[River Exe]]. [[Attentional]] in Taunton deliver audience figures for [[Broadcasters' Audience Research Board|BARB]]. [[DS Smith]]'s [[Wansbrough Paper Mill]] at [[Watchet]] on the coast is the UK's largest manufacturer of [[coreboard]]. [[Fletcher Boats]] make speedboats in [[Langport]]. [[TePe]] UK (Swedish) supply toothbrushes. Thales Defence closed its radar site (former EMI Electronics) near Wookey Hole, in [[St Cuthbert Out]]. [[Thales Underwater Systems]] (former [[Plessey]] Marine) is at [[Templecombe|Abbas and Templecombe]], Somerset, off the A357 towards Dorset in the [[Blackmore Vale]], east of Yeovil. [[Commando Helicopter Force]] at [[RNAS Yeovilton (HMS Heron)|Yeovilton]] operates Merlins and Wildcats (the upgraded version of the [[Westland Lynx|Lynx]]). [[Mulberry (company)|Mulberry]] is based at [[Chilcompton]] on the B3139, north of Shepton Mallet, in the Mendips. [[Cox & Cox]] furnishings, is north of Frome in [[Berkley, Somerset]] off the A361. [[Fox Brothers]] make cloth in [[Wellington, Somerset|Wellington]], and [[Relyon (furniture)|Relyon]] (part of [[Steinhoff International]]) make beds. Italian defence contractor [[Leonardo S.p.A.|Leonardo]] makes helicopters at [[Yeovil]], formerly the home of [[Westland Helicopters]], building the [[AgustaWestland AW159 Wildcat]]. To the east of Yeovil, in [[Houndstone]], Garador make [[garage door]]s (part of Hörmann Group of [[Amshausen]], Europe's largest mechanical door manufacturer). [[Yeo Valley Organic]] is in [[Blagdon]]. [[Numatic International Limited]] makes [[vacuum cleaner]]s in [[Chard, Somerset|Chard]], and [[Brecknell Willis]], a railway engineering company on the [[A30 road|A30]], makes [[Pantograph (rail)|pantograph]]s; [[ActionAid UK]] is in the Chard Business Centre, off the A358 in the north of Chard, near a centrifugal [[oil filter]] plant of [[Mann+Hummel]]. [[Dairy Crest]] made [[brandy butter]] south of the town in [[Tatworth|Tatworth and Forton]], near the meeting point of Dorset, Somerset and Devon. [[Ministry of Cake]], owned by Greencore since December 2007 on the A3065 in [[Staplegrove]] in the west of Taunton, is the leading provider of frozen desserts to the UK foodservice industry. The [[United Kingdom Hydrographic Office]] is in Taunton. [[Pilgrims Choice]] cheddar is made by Adams Foods (former [[North Downs Dairy]]) at Wincanton. [[Ariel Motor Company]] in Crewkerne, make the [[Ariel Atom]]. [[Gerber Products Company|Refresco Gerber]] in the north of Bridgwater, between the A38 and the [[River Parrett]], make [[SunnyD]], [[Libby's]], [[Innocent Drinks]], [[Del Monte Foods|Del Monte]], [[Just Juice]] and [[Ocean Spray (cooperative)|Ocean Spray]]. [[File:Higher Stockham Farm - geograph.org.uk - 241476.jpg|thumb|right|Former brandy butter plant at [[Chard Junction]] next to the [[River Axe (Lyme Bay)|River Axe]] ]] Next to the [[Royal Portbury Dock]], off junction 19 of the M5 on the A369 is [[Lafarge (company)|Lafarge]] Plasterboard. [[Thatchers Cider]] is in [[Sandford, Somerset|Sandford]], [[North Somerset]] on the [[A368 road|A368]], two miles east of the M5. Towards Bristol Airport, [[Claverham (company)|Claverham]] make actuation equipment for the aerospace sector in [[Yatton]] in [[North Somerset]], off the [[A370 road|A370]], and is part of [[Hamilton Sundstrand]], derived from the electrical systems part of [[Fairey Aviation]]. [[Wessex Water]], [[Future plc]], [[Buro Happold]] and [[Rotork]] are in [[Bath, Somerset|Bath]]. Cadbury used to make ''[[Curly Wurly]]'', ''[[Double Decker (chocolate bar)|Double Decker]]'' and ''[[Crunchie]]'' at the [[Somerdale Factory]], [[Keynsham]] until Kraft closed the plant in March 2011 and moved production to [[Skarbimierz, Opole Voivodeship]] in Poland.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Kelly|first1=Chris|title=Broken chocolate factory pledge devastates Keynsham|work=BBC News |date=14 January 2011 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-12126550|access-date=21 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110528023241/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-12126550|archive-date=28 May 2011|url-status=live}}</ref> ===Wiltshire=== {{Main|Economy of Wiltshire}} [[File:Salisbury Cathedral.jpg|right|thumb|[[Salisbury Cathedral]] at 123 m (404 ft) which is the tallest in the UK]] [[Nationwide Building Society]],<ref>{{cite web|title=Locations of our head offices|url=https://www.nationwide.co.uk/support/support-articles/contact-numbers-address/address-and-maps-of-our-head-offices|publisher=Nationawide|access-date=30 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171230172311/https://www.nationwide.co.uk/support/support-articles/contact-numbers-address/address-and-maps-of-our-head-offices|archive-date=30 December 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Research Councils UK]] and five [[UK Research Councils|research council]]s, [[Intel Corporation|Intel Europe]], and the [[British Computer Society]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Details of our Swindon and London Offices|url=http://www.bcs.org/content/conWebDoc/34404|publisher=BCS|access-date=30 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171230225833/http://www.bcs.org/content/conWebDoc/34404|archive-date=30 December 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> are in Swindon, as are the main offices of [[Historic England]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Swindon National Office|url=https://historicengland.org.uk/about/contact-us/national-offices/swindon/|publisher=Historic England|access-date=30 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171230172718/https://historicengland.org.uk/about/contact-us/national-offices/swindon/|archive-date=30 December 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> and the [[National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty|National Trust]],<ref>{{cite web|title=Heelis|url=https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/heelis|publisher=National Trust|access-date=30 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171230172652/https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/heelis|archive-date=30 December 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> both housed in the former [[Great Western Railway]]'s [[Swindon Works]]. [[Allied Dunbar]] was headquartered in the centre of Swindon until 1998, when bought by [[Zurich Insurance Group|Zurich Financial Services]]. In [[Stratton St Margaret]], [[BMW]] press metal for the [[Mini (marque)|Mini]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Mini Plant Swindon|url=http://www.miniplantswindon.co.uk/location-contact.aspx|publisher=MINI|access-date=30 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171114111331/http://www.miniplantswindon.co.uk/location-contact.aspx|archive-date=14 November 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> at the former [[Pressed Steel Company]], there is a major [[List of Honda assembly plants|Honda]] [[Honda of the UK Manufacturing|manufacturing plant]] (in South Marston) where the [[Honda Fit|Jazz]], [[Honda Civic|Civic]] and [[Honda CR-V|CR-V]] are manufactured at Britain's second-largest car manufacturing plant;<ref>{{cite news|title=Honda boosts UK investment|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/1535333.stm|publisher=BBC|access-date=30 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070831072924/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/1535333.stm|archive-date=31 August 2007|url-status=live}}</ref> nearby are [[Zimmer Biomet|Zimmer]] UK (medical devices) and [[GS Yuasa|Yuasa]] UK (automotive batteries). The headquarters of [[WHSmith]], with [[Smiths News]], is near the [[School Library Association]], west of the MINI works in [[Upper Stratton]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Head Office – Swindon|url=http://www.whsmithcareers.co.uk/head-office-swindon/|publisher=WH Smith|access-date=30 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171230172208/http://www.whsmithcareers.co.uk/head-office-swindon/|archive-date=30 December 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Valero Energy]] UK, who bought Texaco from [[Chevron Corporation|Chevron]] in 2011, are in [[Eldene]], in the former head office of [[St Ivel]]; [[Patheon]] UK (pharmaceuticals, on the former site of [[Roussel Uclaf]]) are on the B4006 in [[Covingham]], north of Valero, in the east of Swindon. [[British Gasket Group|BG Automotive]], on the Cheney Manor industrial estate, make gaskets on the B4006 in [[Rodbourne]]; [[Dynamatic Technologies|Dynamatic]] UK are in a former [[Plessey]] factory. [[Burmah Oil]] was headquartered in the south of Swindon; Burmah bought [[Castrol]] in 1966 (owned by [[BP]] from 2000). [[Stanley Black & Decker|Stanley Security]] (former Amano Blick) is on the Techno trading estate, north of the town centre. [[File:Plessey Semiconductors 1982.jpg|thumb|left|Former Plessey Semiconductors factory in Swindon, on the Cheney Manor Industrial Estate, west of Rodbourne]] Near the M4 Spittleborough Roundabout, close to [[Freshbrook]], are [[Synergy Health]] and [[Npower (United Kingdom)|RWE npower]]; also on the Windmill Hill Business park are [[Arval (company)|Arval]] ([[vehicle leasing]] and fuel cards), and [[Allstar (fuel card)|Allstar]] (fuel card); also nearby are [[Realogy|Cartus]] Europe, [[Catalent|Catalent Pharma Solutions]] UK and [[MAN Truck & Bus]] UK (with [[Neoplan]] and [[ERF (lorry manufacturer)|ERF]]); further east is [[WRc]] (the former Water Research Centre). Nearby on Lydiard Fields in [[Lydiard Tregoze]] is [[Johnson Matthey]] Fuel Cells, which in 2002 was the world's first production site of [[Membrane electrode assembly|membrane electrode assemblies]], and next door is [[Neptune (Europe)|Neptune]], who make furniture and kitchens; also [[BuildStore]] have their National Self Build & Renovation Centre. Sauer-Danfoss UK provide hydraulics off the [[A419 road|A419]] in [[Dorcan]], and nearby is [[TE Connectivity]] UK (former Tyco Electronics and [[Raychem]]). The [[British & Foreign Bible Society]] is on the Delta Business Park in [[Westlea]], near [[Intergraph]] UK ([[Geographic information system|geospatial software]], owned by [[Hexagon AB]]) on the other side of Westmead industrial estate, with [[Metric Group]], the only UK manufacturer of [[parking meter]]s. [[Triumph International|Triumph International UK]] is in [[Blunsdon|Blunsdon St Andrew]]. [[Dyson (company)|Dyson]] is in [[Malmesbury]], north of the M4.<ref>{{cite web|title=Malmesbury|url=https://careers.dyson.com/commercial/malmesbury/|publisher=Dyson|access-date=30 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171230172110/https://careers.dyson.com/commercial/malmesbury/|archive-date=30 December 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Cotswold Outdoor]] (recommended supplier to the [[The Duke of Edinburgh's Award|DofE Award]] and the Scout Association) is based at the [[Cotswold Airport]] near the Gloucestershire boundary, south of Cirencester. [[File:The Staverton Chimney - geograph.org.uk - 613951.jpg|thumb|left|upright=0.75|[[Shredded wheat|Shredded Wheat]] factory at [[Staverton, Wiltshire|Staverton]] north of Trowbridge]] [[Trowbridge]] has [[Apetito]] UK,<ref>{{cite web|title=Our History|url=https://www.apetito.co.uk/about-us/our-history/|publisher=Apetito|access-date=30 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171230172335/https://www.apetito.co.uk/about-us/our-history/|archive-date=30 December 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Wiltshire Farm Foods]], [[Danone|Danone UK]] and their subsidiary [[Numico]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Contact Us|url=http://corporate.danone.co.uk/connect/consumers/contact-us/waters/address/|publisher=Danone|access-date=30 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171230174307/http://corporate.danone.co.uk/connect/consumers/contact-us/waters/address/|archive-date=30 December 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Cereal Partners]] make [[Shredded wheat|Shredded Wheat]] and [[Shreddies]] at [[Staverton, Wiltshire|Staverton]], near Trowbridge. In [[Devizes]] is the [[Wadworth Brewery]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Visit Us|url=https://www.wadworth.co.uk/more/brewery-tours/visiting-our-brewery/visit-us/|publisher=Wadworths|access-date=30 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171230172324/https://www.wadworth.co.uk/more/brewery-tours/visiting-our-brewery/visit-us/|archive-date=30 December 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Salisbury Cathedral]] in [[Salisbury]] attracts many tourists. [[Rockhopper Exploration]] is in the town and [[Naim Audio]] make hi-fi equipment.<ref>{{cite web|title=Contact Information|date=3 September 2014 |url=https://www.naimaudio.com/contact-information|publisher=Naim|access-date=30 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171230225726/https://www.naimaudio.com/contact-information|archive-date=30 December 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> Nearby, [[Defence Science and Technology Laboratory|Dstl]] is at [[Porton Down]].<ref>{{cite web|title=dstl|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/defence-science-and-technology-laboratory|publisher=dstl|access-date=30 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171229215603/https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/defence-science-and-technology-laboratory|archive-date=29 December 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Knorr-Bremse|Knorr-Bremse Rail Systems UK]] (formerly Westinghouse) make [[railway air brake]]s in Bowerhill<ref>{{cite web|title=Contact Information|url=http://www.knorr-bremse.co.uk/en/_meta/contact/contactform.jsp|publisher=Knorr-Bremse|access-date=30 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171230172419/http://www.knorr-bremse.co.uk/en/_meta/contact/contactform.jsp|archive-date=30 December 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> just south of [[Melksham]] and nearby are the headquarters of [[Avon Rubber]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Where We Operate|url=https://www.avon-rubber.com/About-Us/where-we-operate.htm|publisher=Avon Rubber|access-date=30 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171230172302/https://www.avon-rubber.com/About-Us/where-we-operate.htm|archive-date=30 December 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> and [[Herman Miller]] UK, a maker of office furniture. [[Chippenham]] has the HQ of [[Wincanton plc]], the large logistics company,<ref>{{cite web|title=Contact|url=https://www.wincanton.co.uk/contact/|publisher=Wincanton PLC|access-date=30 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171230172335/https://www.wincanton.co.uk/contact/|archive-date=30 December 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Invensys Rail Group]] (formerly [[Westinghouse Rail Systems]]) who make [[Railway signalling|rail signalling equipment]],<ref>{{cite news|last1=Armstrong|first1=Julie|title=£1.8bn takeover of Invensys Rail in Chippenham concluded|url=http://www.gazetteandherald.co.uk/news/10405106.__1_8bn_takeover_of_Invensys_Rail_in_Chippenham_concluded/|access-date=30 December 2017|work=Gazette and Herald|date=8 May 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171230172605/http://www.gazetteandherald.co.uk/news/10405106.__1_8bn_takeover_of_Invensys_Rail_in_Chippenham_concluded/|archive-date=30 December 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> and the software company [[SCISYS]]. In the centre of the county are many military establishments, notably [[MoD Boscombe Down]], the training sites on [[Salisbury Plain Training Area|Salisbury Plain]] and at [[MOD Lyneham|MoD Lyneham]], and the army bases around [[Tidworth]], [[Larkhill]] (home of the [[Royal School of Artillery]]) and [[Warminster]] (HQ of the [[Infantry of the British Army|Infantry]]).<ref>{{cite web|title=Salisbury Plain Training Area (SPTA)|url=http://www.army.mod.uk/structure/34026.aspx|publisher=Army|access-date=30 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171230171943/http://www.army.mod.uk/structure/34026.aspx|archive-date=30 December 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> ==Subdivisions== The region covers much of the historical area of [[Wessex]] (omitting only [[Hampshire]] and [[Berkshire]]), and all of the Celtic Kingdom of [[Dumnonia]] which comprised Cornwall, Devon, and parts of Somerset and Dorset. In terms of local government, it was divided after 1974 into [[Avon (county)|Avon]], Cornwall, [[Devon]], Dorset, [[Gloucestershire]], Somerset, and [[Wiltshire]]. Avon has since been abolished, and several mainly urban areas have become [[Unitary authority#England|unitary authorities]]. {{Clear}}<!-- Break inserted to ensure that the table doesn't hit overlap images --> ===Local government=== The official region consists of the following geographic counties and local government areas: {| class="wikitable" |- !Map ||Ceremonial county||Non-metropolitan county || Non-metropolitan districts |- | rowspan="15" |[[File:SouthWest-local-government-2019.jpg|300x300px]]|| rowspan="3" |[[Somerset]] || colspan="2" | 1. [[Bath and North East Somerset]] UA |- | colspan="2" | 2. [[North Somerset]] UA |- | colspan="3" | 10. [[Somerset Council|Somerset]] UA |- | [[Bristol]] || colspan="2" | 3. [[Bristol City Council|Bristol]] UA |- |rowspan="2" | [[Gloucestershire]] || colspan="2" | 4. [[South Gloucestershire]] UA |- | 5. [[Gloucestershire County Council|Gloucestershire CC]] || ''a'') [[Gloucester]], ''b'') [[Tewkesbury (borough)|Tewkesbury]], ''c'') [[Cheltenham]], ''d'') [[Cotswold (district)|Cotswold]], ''e'') [[Stroud (district)|Stroud]], ''f'') [[Forest of Dean (district)|Forest of Dean]] |- |rowspan="2" | [[Wiltshire]] || colspan="2" | 6. [[Swindon (borough)|Swindon]] UA |- | colspan="2" | 7. [[Wiltshire (district)|Wiltshire]] UA |- | rowspan="2" | [[Dorset]]|| colspan="2" | 8. [[Dorset (unitary authority)|Dorset]] UA |- | colspan="2" | 9. [[Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole]] UA |- | rowspan="3" |[[Devon]]|| 11. [[Devon County Council|Devon CC]]||''a'') [[Exeter]], ''b'') [[East Devon]], ''c'') [[Mid Devon]], ''d'') [[North Devon]], ''e'') [[Torridge District|Torridge]], ''f'') [[West Devon]], ''g'') [[South Hams]], ''h'') [[Teignbridge]] |- | colspan="2" | 12. [[Torbay]] UA |- | colspan="2" | 14. [[Plymouth]] UA |- |rowspan="2" | [[Cornwall]] || colspan="2" | 15. [[Isles of Scilly]] ''sui generis'' UA |- | colspan="2" | 13. [[Cornwall Council|Cornwall UA]] |} * UA = [[unitary authority]] area (non-metropolitan county and district) * CC = [[county council]] ===Eurostat NUTS=== In the [[Eurostat]] [[Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics]] (NUTS), South West England is a level-1 NUTS region, coded "UKK", which is subdivided as follows: {| class="wikitable" |- style="background:gold; text-align:left;" ! NUTS 1 ! Code ! NUTS 2 ! Code ! NUTS 3 ! Code |- | South West England | UKK | rowspan=5 | [[Gloucestershire]], [[Wiltshire]] and [[Bristol]]/[[Bath, Somerset|Bath]] area | rowspan=5 | UKK1 | [[Bristol]] | UKK11 |- | rowspan="11" colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"| [[File:NUTS 3 regions of South West England map.svg|240px]] | [[Bath and North East Somerset]], [[North Somerset]] and [[South Gloucestershire]] | UKK12 |- | [[Gloucestershire]] CC | UKK13 |- | [[Swindon (borough)|Swindon]] | UKK14 |- | [[Wiltshire (district)|Wiltshire]] | UKK15 |- | rowspan=3 | [[Dorset]] and [[Somerset]] | rowspan=3 | UKK2 | [[Bournemouth (borough)|Bournemouth]] and [[Poole]] | UKK21 |- | [[Dorset]] CC | UKK22 |- | [[Somerset]] | UKK23 |- | [[Cornwall]] and [[Isles of Scilly]] | UKK3 | [[Cornwall]] and [[Isles of Scilly]] | UKK30 |- | rowspan=3 | [[Devon]] | rowspan=3 | UKK4 | [[Plymouth]] | UKK41 |- | [[Torbay]] | UKK42 |- | [[Devon]] CC | UKK43 |} ==South West Regional Assembly== [[File:Durdledoor.jpg|thumb|[[Durdle Door]] in Dorset is part of the [[Jurassic Coast]], England's only natural [[World Heritage Site]].]] Although referendums had been planned on whether elected assemblies should be set up in some of the regions, none was planned in the South West. The [[South West Regional Assembly]] (SWRA) was the [[regional Assemblies in England|regional assembly]] for the South West region, established in 1999. It was based in [[Exeter]] and [[Taunton]]. The SWRA was a partnership of councillors from all local authorities in the region and representatives of various sectors with a role in the region's economic, social and environmental well-being. There was much opposition to the formation of the SWRA with critics saying it was an unelected unrepresentative and unaccountable "quango". The Regional Assembly was wound up in May 2009, and its functions taken on by the [[South West Strategic Leaders' Board|Strategic Leaders' Board]] (SLB) of South West Councils.<ref>{{cite web |author=SW Councils |url=http://www.swcouncils.gov.uk/nqcontent.cfm?a_id=4733&tt=swra |title=Strategic Leaders' Board |publisher=Swcouncils.gov.uk |date=17 May 2012 |access-date=24 May 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110208135321/http://www.swcouncils.gov.uk/nqcontent.cfm?a_id=4733&tt=swra |archive-date=8 February 2011 |url-status=live }}</ref> ==Politics== As of the [[2024 United Kingdom general election]], The South West contains 58 seats in the [[House of Commons of the United Kingdom|House of Commons]]. [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]] hold 24 seats, The [[Liberal Democrats (UK)|Liberal Democrats]] hold 22 seats, The [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservatives]] hold 11 seats and The [[Green Party of England and Wales|Greens]] hold 1 seat. {{Constituencies in South West England}} ==Education== ===Schools=== {{See also|List of schools in England#South West of England}} ===Secondary education=== The South West has a below average rate of attainment in GCSE (and equivalent) examinations, with the lowest regional performance in England from 2009 to 2012.<ref name="education.gov.uk">[http://www.education.gov.uk/inyourarea/results/nat_921_gors_3.shtml Education and Skills In Your Area - England] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140212004213/http://www.education.gov.uk/inyourarea/results/nat_921_gors_3.shtml |date=12 February 2014 }} DfE</ref> In 2012, [[South Hams]] had the highest percentage of pupils achieving 5 or more GCSEs at grade A*-C at 86%, whilst [[Purbeck District|Purbeck]] had the lowest at 70%.<ref>[http://www.education.gov.uk/inyourarea/results/gor_K_las_3.shtml Education and Skills In Your Area - South West Region] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140221084459/http://www.education.gov.uk/inyourarea/results/gor_K_las_3.shtml |date=21 February 2014 }} DfE</ref> The region has an above average rate of attainment in A-Level (and equivalent) examinations, having outperformed the [[West Midlands (region)|West Midlands]], [[East Midlands]], [[North East England|North East]] and [[London]] in 2012.<ref name="education.gov.uk"/> ===Further education=== There are around 29 [[further education]] colleges in the region.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://findfe.com/searches.php?country=12|title=Further Education Finder|website=findfe.com|access-date=20 January 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140202184744/http://findfe.com/searches.php?country=12|archive-date=2 February 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> ===Higher education=== [[File:Uni.of.bath.campus.arp.jpg|thumb|right|University of Bath]] There are twelve universities in the region: * [[Arts University Bournemouth]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Arts University Bournemouth|url=http://aub.ac.uk/|publisher=Arts University Bournemouth|access-date=2 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180515205116/https://aub.ac.uk/|archive-date=15 May 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> * [[Bournemouth University]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Bournemouth University|url=https://www1.bournemouth.ac.uk/|publisher=Bournemouth University|access-date=2 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150126101141/https://www1.bournemouth.ac.uk/|archive-date=26 January 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref> * [[Bath Spa University]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Bath Spa University|url=http://www.bathspa.ac.uk/|publisher=Bath Spa University|access-date=2 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071209010101/http://www.bathspa.ac.uk/|archive-date=9 December 2007|url-status=dead}}</ref> * [[University of Bath]]<ref>{{cite web|title=University of Bath|url=http://www.bath.ac.uk/|publisher=University of Bath|access-date=2 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160101225717/http://www.bath.ac.uk/|archive-date=1 January 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> * [[University of Bristol]]<ref>{{cite web|title=University of Bristol|url=http://bristol.ac.uk/|publisher=University of Bristol|access-date=2 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160101232831/http://www.bristol.ac.uk/|archive-date=1 January 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> * [[Camborne School of Mines]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Camborne School of Mines|url=https://www.exeter.ac.uk/cornwall/research/facilitiesandcentres/csm/|access-date=23 April 2020}}</ref> Part of the University of Exeter. * [[University of Exeter]]<ref>{{cite web|title=University of Exeter|url=http://www.exeter.ac.uk/|publisher=University of Exeter|access-date=2 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151231183949/http://www.exeter.ac.uk/|archive-date=31 December 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> * [[Falmouth University]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Falmouth University|url=http://www.falmouth.ac.uk/|publisher=Falmouth University|access-date=2 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160102042858/http://www.falmouth.ac.uk/|archive-date=2 January 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> * [[University of Gloucestershire]]<ref>{{cite web|title=University of Gloucestershire|url=http://www.glos.ac.uk/|publisher=University of Gloucestershire|access-date=2 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041128020127/http://www.glos.ac.uk/|archive-date=28 November 2004|url-status=live}}</ref> * [[The University of Law]]<ref>{{cite web|title=University of Law|url=http://www.law.ac.uk/|publisher=University of Law|access-date=2 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151229223313/http://www.law.ac.uk/|archive-date=29 December 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> * [[University of Plymouth]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Plymouth University|url=https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/|publisher=Plymouth University|access-date=2 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160110201009/https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/|archive-date=10 January 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> * [[Plymouth Marjon University]]<ref>{{cite web|title=University of St Mark & St John|url=http://www.marjon.ac.uk/|publisher=University of St Mark & St John|access-date=2 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151226152743/http://marjon.ac.uk/|archive-date=26 December 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> * [[Royal Agricultural University]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Royal Agricultural University|url=https://www.rau.ac.uk/|publisher=Royal Agricultural University|access-date=2 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151226190856/https://www.rau.ac.uk/|archive-date=26 December 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> * [[University of the West of England]] (UWE)<ref>{{cite web|title=University of the West of England|url=http://www.uwe.ac.uk/|publisher=University of the West of England|access-date=2 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160102032245/http://uwe.ac.uk/|archive-date=2 January 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> There are also four higher education colleges. The region has the lowest number of people registered on higher education courses at FE colleges. The University of Bristol receives the most total funding, according to [[Higher Education Funding Council for England]] figures for the 2006/2007 academic year, and the largest research grant—twice as big as any other in the region.<ref>{{cite web | url= http://www.hefce.ac.uk/pubs/hefce/2007/07_18/outputSW.pdf | publisher= HEFCE | work= Regional profiles of higher education 2007 | title= South West Region | access-date= 31 March 2010 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20091112183516/http://www.hefce.ac.uk/pubs/hefce/2007/07_18/outputSW.pdf | archive-date= 12 November 2009 | url-status= live }}</ref> Bath has the next largest research grant, closely followed by Exeter. UWE and Plymouth get small research grants, but no other universities in the region receive much of a research grant. The University of Plymouth has the largest teaching grant. Of the region's students (postgraduate and undergraduate), 50% are from the region, and around 40% from other regions. For full-time first degree students, 35% come from the region, around 22% are from [[South East England]], and 8% are from London. Including the [[East of England]], around 70% are from [[Southern England]]. 10% are from the [[English Midlands|Midlands]], and 5% from [[Northern England]]. The main access for students from the north is the [[Cross Country Route]]. Around 33% of native South West students stay in the region, with 18% going to the South East (around 60% stay in the south of England). Around 14% go to Wales, but very few go to the East of England. Access by road or rail to the East of England region is not straightforward, with around the same amount of travel as to Scotland. Many more native South West students are prepared to go to the north of England, than northern students are prepared to study in the South West. Once graduated, around 50% stay in the region, with 15% each going to London or the South East (around 80% find work in the south of England). Very few go elsewhere (especially the north of England); around 4% go to the West Midlands or Wales.{{citation needed|date=February 2021}} ==Local media== [[File:BBC Radio Swindon - geograph.org.uk - 110351.jpg|thumb|right|[[BBC Radio Wiltshire]]'s building in Swindon]] {{Unreferenced section|date=October 2021|reason = this is not just a list of radio stations, context/history has been added which means that references need to be given}} ===Television=== *[[BBC South West]], based in [[Plymouth]] with the ''[[Spotlight (BBC News)|Spotlight]]'' regional programme. *[[BBC West]], based in [[Clifton, Bristol|Clifton]] in Bristol with the ''[[BBC Points West|Points West]]'' regional programme. *[[ITV West Country]], based in Bristol (following the merger of [[ITV Wales & West|ITV West]] and [[ITV Westcountry]]), with the ''[[ITV News West Country]]'' regional programme. Parts of Wiltshire and Dorset, including the Salisbury, Bournemouth, Poole, Dorchester and Weymouth areas, receive [[BBC South]] and [[ITV Meridian]] from [[Southampton]]. ===Radio=== [[BBC Local Radio]] services in the region include [[BBC Radio Cornwall|Cornwall]], [[BBC Radio Devon|Devon]], [[BBC Radio Somerset|Somerset]], [[BBC Radio Bristol|Bristol]], [[BBC Radio Wiltshire|Wiltshire]], and [[BBC Radio Gloucestershire|Gloucestershire]], along with [[BBC Radio Solent]]'s partial opt-out service for Dorset. Commercial radio stations include: *[[Heart West]], owned by [[Global Media & Entertainment|Global]], broadcasts a regional weekday programme for the South West, as well as localised news on frequencies previously occupied by [[Heart West Country]] (Bristol/Bath), [[Heart Devon]], [[Heart Gloucestershire]], [[Heart Wiltshire]], and [[Atlantic FM]] (Cornwall). *[[Greatest Hits Radio South West]], owned by [[Bauer Radio|Bauer]], occupies a number of frequencies previously broadcast as part of [[The Breeze (radio network)|The Breeze network]]. As on Heart, one regional weekday afternoon programme for the wider region is retained alongside local news and advertising. A version of GHR for Cornwall is provided on DAB and online. The former [[Spire FM]] ([[Salisbury]]), and [[Wessex FM]] ([[Dorchester, Dorset|Dorchester]]) broadcast as part of [[Greatest Hits Radio South]] in a similar manner. *Bauer Radio also operates, as of September 2021: **[[Hits Radio]] services for [[Sam FM (Bristol)|Bristol]] (formerly [[Sam FM (Bristol)|Sam FM]]) and [[Fire Radio|Bournemouth]] (previously [[Fire Radio]]); each has a local afternoon drivetime programme, taking Hits Radio Network content at other times including breakfast. **[[Kiss (UK radio station)|Kiss]] (national service, formerly [[Kiss 101]] for the Severn Estuary region). **[[Pirate FM]] (Cornwall), which has retained much of its local identity and programming. * [[Radio Exe]] (formerly Exeter FM) is an independent locally-run commercial station for Exeter. The station expanded to serve [[Plymouth]] via the [[Digital Audio Broadcasting|DAB digital radio]] platform in March 2022.<ref>[https://www.radioexe.co.uk/news-and-features/local-news/radio-exe-expands-to-cover-whole-of-devon/ Radio Exe, 2022-03-04]</ref> * Licensed community radio services in the region include [[BCfm]] (Bristol), [[Soundart Radio]] (Totnes), [[FromeFM]] (Somerset), [[Gloucester FM]], [[Phonic FM]] (Exeter), [[Somer Valley FM]] (north Somerset), [[Radio St Austell Bay]] (Cornwall), [[Ujima Radio]] (Bristol), [[The Voice (North Devon)]], [[East Devon Radio]] (formerly ExmouthAiR and Bay FM), and [[Cross Rhythms Plymouth]]. National radio is transmitted from [[North Hessary Tor transmitting station|North Hessary Tor]] (west Devon) and [[Wenvoe transmitting station|Wenvoe]] (west of Cardiff). ===Newspapers=== Regional newspapers include the [[Bath Chronicle]], [[Bristol Post]], [[Western Daily Press]], the [[Dorset Echo]], the [[Express & Echo|Exeter Express and Echo]], [[Western Morning News]], the [[North Devon Journal]], [[Cornish Guardian]], [[The West Briton]] (Truro), [[The Cornishman (newspaper)|The Cornishman]], [[Wiltshire Times]] ([[Trowbridge]]), [[Gazette and Herald]] (North & West Wiltshire), [[Gloucestershire Echo]], [[Gloucester Citizen]], [[Plymouth Evening Herald|Plymouth Herald]], [[Torquay Herald Express]], [[Swindon Advertiser]] and the [[Salisbury Journal]]. ==Sport== ===Rugby=== In [[rugby union]], the region has four [[Premiership Rugby]] teams: [[Bath Rugby]], [[Bristol Bears]], [[Exeter Chiefs]] and [[Gloucester Rugby]]. In [[rugby league]], the region has one club, [[Cornwall RLFC]], playing in [[RFL League 1]]. ===Football=== The region for two seasons until the conclusion of 2021{{ndash}}22 had no [[Premier League]] team since the relegation of [[AFC Bournemouth]] in 2020.<ref>{{cite web|first=Alex|last=Richards|date=26 July 2020|title=Premier League relegation: Watford and Bournemouth down as Aston Villa safe after final day|url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/breaking-premier-league-relegation-watford-22418133|website=Mirror|access-date=29 November 2020}}</ref> During the 2016/17 season, the region had seven teams in the [[English Football League]]: [[Bristol City]], [[Bristol Rovers]], [[Cheltenham Town F.C.|Cheltenham]], [[Exeter City F.C.|Exeter]], [[Plymouth Argyle]], [[Swindon Town F.C.|Swindon]], and [[Yeovil Town F.C.|Yeovil]]. In the 2017/18 season they were joined by [[Forest Green Rovers]].<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/39923153 |title="Forest Green Rovers: The village team that reached the English Football League", ''BBC News'', 15 May 2017 |work=BBC Sport |access-date=14 February 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180114144655/http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/39923153 |archive-date=14 January 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref> Other teams play in the South divisions of the [[Southern Football League|Southern League]], at levels 7 and 8 of the [[English football league system#The system|league system]]. At levels 9 and 10, the [[Western Football League|Western League]] covers the whole region except the most eastern parts, while the [[Hellenic Football League|Hellenic League]] extends into Gloucestershire and north Wiltshire, and the [[Wessex Football League|Wessex League]] has teams from east Dorset and south Wiltshire. Also at level 10, the [[South West Peninsula League]] has teams from Cornwall and Devon. ==References== {{Reflist}} ==Further reading== *{{cite book |last= Brayshay |first= Mark |title= Topographical Writers in South-West England |year=1986 |publisher=University of Exeter Press|location= Exeter |isbn=0-85989-424-X}} *{{cite book |last=Dunning |first=Robert |title=A History of Somerset |year=1983 |publisher=Phillimore & Co |location=Chichester |isbn=0-85033-461-6}} *{{cite book |last=Higham |first= Robert |title= Landscape and Townscape in the South-West |year= 1989 |publisher= University of Exeter Press |location= Exeter |isbn=0-85989-309-X}} *{{Cite book|last=Stansfield-Cudworth|first=R.E.|title=Political Elites in South-West England, 1450–1500 |publisher=[[Edwin Mellen Press]]|year=2009|isbn=978-0-77344-714-1|location=[[Lewiston, New York]] |language=English}} *{{cite book |last= Pearce |first=Susan |title= South-Western Britain in the Early Middle Ages |year= 2004 |publisher= Leicester University Press |location= London |isbn=0-71850-055-5}} *{{cite book |last=Todd |first=Malcolm |title=The South West to AD 1000 |year=1987 |publisher=Routledge |location=London |isbn=0-58249-274-2}} ==External links== {{Commons category|South West England}} {{wikivoyage|West Country}} * [http://www.visitsouthwest.co.uk Visit South West England – Official Regional Tourist Board] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20040604002726/http://www.gosw.gov.uk/ Government Office for the South West] {{United Kingdom topics}} {{English regions}} {{SW England}} [[Category:South West England| ]] [[Category:Southern England|.]] [[Category:West Country|.]] [[Category:Regions of England]] [[Category:NUTS 1 statistical regions of England]] [[Category:NUTS 1 statistical regions of the European Union]]
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