Honiton
Honiton is a market town and civil parish in East Devon. It is located close to the River Otter, and is around 17 miles (27 kilometres) north east of Exeter in the county of Devon. Honiton is at the junction of the A35, the A30 and the A373 roads. Honiton railway station is on the West of England Main Line that runs from London Waterloo to Exeter. Honiton has a population approximated at 11822. The town grew along the line of the Fosse Way, the ancient Roman roadway linking Exeter to Lincoln, on which it was an useful stopping point. The place is discussed in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Honetone, meaning 'Huna's tun' or 'farm'. It ended up being an important market town, known for its lace making that was offered by Flemish immigrants in the Elizabethan era. In the 17th century, great numbers of people produced lace by hand in their homes, and later in the 19th century, Queen Victoria had her wedding dress crafted from Honiton lace, though the dress itself was made in the fishing village of Beer. The town also ended up being known for its pottery. Honiton is host to the annual Honiton Agricultural Show, a traditional gathering dating back to 1890. The Hot Pennies ceremony happens each year on the first Tuesday after 19 July in the High Street of the town, and dates back to the reign of King Stephen. The ceremony has its roots in the practice of the landed gentry enjoying throwing hot pennies from windows to regional peasants, a relatively philanthropic gesture resulting in burns. The custom also had the function of motivating people to take a trip to the town from the surrounding area to attend a subsequent fair. For all of your home refurbishments, make sure to identify respected contractors in Honiton to make certain of quality.