Colyton is a town in Devon, England. It lies within the East Devon regional authority location. It is 3 miles (4.8 km) from Seaton and also 6 miles (9.7 km) from Axminster. Its population in 1991 was 2,783, reducing to 2,105 at the 2011 Census. Colyton is a huge part of the Coly Valley electoral ward. The ward population at the above demographics was 4,493. Colyton initially looked like an ancient town around 700 AD as well as attributes in the Domesday Book as 'Culitone'. The 3rd code of legislation of King Edmund I was released at Colyton in around 945. This helped to maintain feudal society, by stating clearly its four pillars: kingship, lordship, family members, as well as neighbourhood. It grew into an important farming centre and also market community with a corn mill, saw mill, iron factory and also an oak bark tannery that is still functioning. Located 0.5 miles (0.8 km) to the north of the town was Colcombe Castle, now destroyed, a former seat of the Courtenay household, Earls of Devon. Complying with the attainder of the Marquis of Exeter the Courtenay lands escheated to the Crown, as well as those within Colyton were marketed back for £1,000 to numerous homeowners of Colyton church, as noted in an act recorded in the Letters as well as Papers of Henry VIII dated 6 January 1547, summed up as "John Clarke and also others. Grant in free socage, subject to rental fees etc. (defined), for l,000 l, of the complying with lands (levels given) in the parish of Colyton, which are parcels of Colyton chateau, Devon, as well as belonged to Henry Marquis of Exeter, attainted". This was the beginning of the Feoffees of Colyton, that continued to keep in usual various residential or commercial properties in the parish. The town has actually been referred to as "one of the most defiant town in Devon" as a result of the number of its inhabitants who signed up with the Monmouth Rebellion in 1685.