Newton Abbot

Coordinates: 50°32′25″N 3°36′31″W / 50.5403°N 3.6087°W / 50.5403; -3.6087

Newton Abbot is a market town and civil parish in the Teignbridge District of Devon, England on the River Teign, with a population of 25,556.

Newton Abbot holds a historic Cheese and Onion Fayre in honour of Saint Leonard; it was originally held from 5 to 7 November, but is now celebrated at the beginning of September. The town grew very rapidly in the Victorian era as it was home to the South Devon Railway locomotive works. This later became a major steam engine shed and was retained to service British Railways diesel locomotives, although it closed in 1981 and is now the site of an industrial estate. The town has a racecourse nearby, the most westerly racecourse in Britain, and has a country park, Decoy.

History

Early history

Traces of Neolithic people have been found at Berry's Wood Hill Fort near Bradley Manor. This was a contour hill fort that enclosed about 11 acres (4.5 ha). Milber Down camp was built in the 1st century BC. Later it was occupied by the Romans, and coins and a pavement have been found there.

Newton Abbot (UK Parliament constituency)

Coordinates: 50°32′46″N 3°29′49″W / 50.546°N 3.497°W / 50.546; -3.497

Newton Abbot is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since its 2010 creation by Anne-Marie Morris, a Conservative.

History

Parliament accepted the Boundary Commission's Fifth Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies proposing to create this constituency for the 2010 general election which increased the number of seats in the county from 11 to 12. It replaces the southern part of the former Teignbridge seat, including the town of Newton Abbot itself, as well as Dawlish and Teignmouth. Nominally the 2010 results was a gain of the seat (LD-Conservative) on a swing of 5.8%. Teignbridge's other successor saw a very similar 6% swing with a much larger margin for the same winning party in Central Devon in the 2010 election.

Boundaries

The constituency is in the district of Teignbridge and has electoral wards: