important siege occurred in 1549, when the western counties rose in defence of what was called the “ old religion.” This lasted for 35 days. Both Exeter and Plymouth were besieged for many months during the civil war of the Commonwealth. This was a period of considerable disturbance in the west. The golden age of Devonshire is, however, that of Elizabeth. Drake, Hawkins, Raleigh, and the Gilberts, besides a host of others, were all of Devonshire; and the history of the county at that time is bound up with the story of its harbours and seaside towns, and is in close connection with the general history of England. It was from Plymouth that the English ships sailed for the attack and dispersion of the Armada, the near approach of which was there first made certain. The landing of William of Orange at Brixham, November 5, 1688, is perhaps the event most fraught with important results which has taken place in the western counties.
Antiquities.—In primeval antiquities Devonshire is not so rich as Cornwall ; but Dartmoor abounds in remains of the highest interest, the most peculiar of which are the long parallel alignments of upright stones, which, on a small scale, resemble those of Carnac in Brittany. On Dartmoor the lines are invariably straight, and are found in direct connection with cairns, and with circles which are probably sepulchral. These stone avenues are very numerous. Of the so-called sacred circles the best examples are the “ Longstones” on Scorhill down, and the “ Grey Wethers” under Sittaford tor. By far the finest cromlech is the “ Spinster's Rock” at Drewsteignton, a three-pillared cromlech which may well be compared with those of Cornwall. There are numerous maenhirs or single upright stones ; a large dolmen or holed stone lies in the bed of the Teign, near the Scorhill circle ; and rock basins occur on the summit of nearly every tor on Dartmoor (the largest are on Kestor, and on Heltor, above the Teign). It is,however, tolerably evident that these have been produced by the gradual disintegration of the granite, and that the dolmen in the Teign is due to the action of the river. Clusters of hut foundations, circular, and formed of rude granite blocks, are frequent ; the best example of such a primitive village is at Batworthy, near Chagford ; the type resembles that of East Cornwall. Walled inclosures, or pounds, occur in many places ; Grimspound is the most remarkable. Trackways, or boundary lines, run across Dartmoor in many directions ; and the rude bridges, formed of great slabs of granite, deserve notice. All these remains are on Dartmoor. Scattered over the county are numerous large hill castles and camps, all earthworks, and all apparently of the British period. Roman relics have been found from time to time at Exeter (Isca Damnoniorum), the only large Roman station in the county.
Buildings.—The churches are for the most part of the Perpendicular period, dating from the middle of the 14th to the end of the 15th century. Exeter Cathedral is of course an exception, the whole (except the Norman towers) being very beautiful Decorated work. The special features of Devonshire churches, however, are the richly carved pulpits and chancel screens of wood, in which this county exceeded every other in England, with the exception of Norfolk and Suffolk. The designs are rich and varied, and the skill displayed often very great. Granite crosses are frequent, the finest and earliest being that of Coplestone, near Crediton. Monastic remains are scanty ; the principal fragments are those at Tor, Buckfast, Tavistock, and Buckland Abbeys. Among domestic buildings the houses of Wear Gifford (15th century), Bradley (15th century), Dartington (15th), Bradfield (Elizabethan), and Holcombe Rogus (Elizabethan) deserve notice. The ruined castles of Okehampton (Edward I.), Exeter (with vast British earthworks), Berry Pomeroy (Henry III., and with ruins of a large Tudor mansion), Totnes (Henry III.), and Compton (early 15th century), are all interesting and picturesque.
The dialect of Devonshire belongs, of course, to the West Saxon division ; but the mixture of races here was, as has been said, considerable ; and in the language as well as in the folk-lore of the people Celtic words and ideas are found closely united with those of Teutonic origin.
The episcopal see for Devonshire was at first established at Crediton, in 909. The ancient Cornish see, which had existed during the British independence of Cornwall, was afterwards united to that of Crediton ; and in 1050 the place of the united sees was removed by the Confessor from Crediton to Exeter. There was no further change until 1876, when the Cornish see was again separated from that of Devonshire, and the place of it fixed at Truro. The diocese of Exeter is now therefore confined to Devonshire.
Devonshire is in the western circuit, and the assizes are held at Exeter. It has one court of quarter sessions and 22 petty sessional divisions. The city of Exeter, a county of itself, and the boroughs of Barnstaple, Bideford, Dartmouth, Devonport, Plymouth, South Molton, Tiverton, and Totnes have commissions of the peace, and, with the exception of Totnes, separate courts of quarter sessions. The jurisdiction of the court of the vice-warden of the stannaries extends over the county of Devon as well as that of Cornwall. There are 23 lieutenancy subdivisions. For the purposes of parliamentary election, Devonshire is divided into east, north, and south each of which divisions returns 2 county members. The city of Exeter, in East Devon, returns 2 ; Barnstaple and Tiverton, in North Devon, 2 each ; Devonport and Plymouth, in South Devon, 2 each ; and Tavistock, also in South Devon, returns 1 member. There are thus altogether 17 members returned for Devonshire.
One of the earliest railways in England was that from Plymouth to the prisons at Prince Town on Dartmoor, opened in 1825. It was, and is, used only by horse cars. The county is now well intersected by railways. Of canals, the most important (and, except “ Morton's Learn,” running from near Peterborough to the sea, the most ancient in England) is the Exeter Ship canal, cut in the reign of Henry VIII., and extended in 1826. It is about six miles in length, and connects the city of Exeter with the mouth of the River Exe. Tiverton is connected with Taunton by the Grand Western canal, 23 miles long; and a canal completed in 1817 connects Tavistock with the Tamar.
The principal gentlemen's seats in Devonshire are Saltram (earl of Morley), Maristow (Sir Massey Lopes, Bart.), Kitley (Baldwin Bastard, Esq.), Stover (duke of Somerset), Ugbrooke (Lord Clifford), Haldon (Sir Lawrence Palk, Bart.), Mamhead (Sir Lidstone Newman, Bart.), Powderham Castle (earl of Devon), Killerton (Sir Thomas Acland, Bart.), Bicton (Lady Rolle), Castle Hill (Earl Fortescue), Tawstock (Sir Bourchier Wrey, Bart.), and Eggesford (earl of Portsmouth). There are many lesser houses noticeable for beauty of situation or for the ornamental grounds in which they stand. Of these by far the most remarkable are Endsleigh (duke of Bedford), near Tavistock, commanding some of the finest scenery in the upper valley of the Tamar, and Buckland Court, on the Dart (Baldwin Bastard, Esq.).
The principal towns in the county are those already mentioned as returning members to Parliament, or as possessing courts of quarter sessions. Besides these are the watering-places of Teignmouth, Torquay, and Ilfracombe, and the smaller towns of Crediton, Honiton, Axminster, Ashburton, and Newton Abbot.
Population.—The total population of Devonshire in 1851 amounted to 567,098 persons ; in 1861 to 584,373 ; and in
