Tavistock
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Template:GBdot Tavistock is a town in Devon, England, lying on the River Tavy on the edge of Dartmoor. Template:Gbmapping. It has a population of about 10,000 people, a large proportion of those being retired.
Tavistock is twinned with the German town of Celle and the French town of Pontivy.
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The Pannier Market
The Royal Charter which allowed the formation of the Pannier Market was given by King Henry I of England in 1116. The market continues to operate today, with regular markets of different types, including a craft market, farmers market and the annual Tavistock Radio Rally organised by the Dartmoor Radio Club.
The current market building was constructed in 1850 by the 7th Duke of Bedford who took a substantial interest in Tavistock, with his statue still standing outside the town hall.
The Canal
External Links
The Tavistock Canal - http://www.canals.btinternet.co.uk/canals/tavistock.htm
Annual Events
Goosey Fair
This song was apparently written for a play in Plymouth in about 1920. The author is unknown.
'Tis just a month come Friday next,
Bill Champernowne and me,
Us went across old Dartymoor
The Goosey Fair to see.
Us made usselves right vitty,
Us shaved and grazed our hair,
And off us goes in our Zunday clothes
Behind Bill's old grey mare.
Us smelt the zage and onion
'Alf a mile from Whitchurch Down,
And didn't us 'ave a blow out
When us put up in the town,
And there us met Ned Hannaford,
Jan Steer and Nicky Square,
I think that all the world must be
At Tavistock Goosey Fair.
Chorus:
And its oh, and where be a-going,
And what be a-doing of there,
Heave down your prong and stamp along,
To Tavistock Goosey Fair.
Us went to see the 'osses
And the 'effers and the yaws,
Us went on all them roundabouts
And into all the shows,
And then it started raining
And blowing in our face,
So off us goes down to the Rose
To 'ave a dish of tay.
And then us had a sing song
And the folks kept dropping in,
And what with one an' t'other,
Well, us had a drop of gin,
And what with one an' t'other,
Us didn't seem to care,
Whether us was to Bellever Tor
Or Tavistock Goosey Fair.
Chorus
'Twere raining streams and dark as pitch
When us trotted 'ome that night,
An' when us got past Merrivale Bridge,
Our mare, 'er took a fright,
Says I to Bill, "Be careful,
You'll 'ave us in them drains,"
Says 'e to me, "Cor bugger," says 'e,
"Why 'aven't you got the reins,"
Just then the mare ran slap against
A whacking gurt big stone,
'Er kicked the trap to flibbits
And 'er trotted off alone,
And when it come to reckoning,
'Tweren't no use standing there,
Us 'ad to traipse 'ome thirteen mile
From Tavistock Goosey Fair.
Chorus
History
Tavistock became a stannary town by a royal decree in 1305, processing the tin mined from nearby Dartmoor, which was exported to Europe. Copper was later mined in the Victorian era.
Tavistock's history dates back to pre-historic times. Various remains from this period can be seen on the moorland surrounding the town.
The Parish church of St Eustachius was built in 1318 and still remains in the town centre. In 1467 cloth manufacture in Tavistock was protected by Statute.
The Black Death did not bypass Tavistock, and killed 52 people.
In 1642, Tavistock was held by Parliament during the English Civil War. Later, the town hosted King Charles I and his army.
The town was connected to the South Devon and Tavistock Railway in 1859. The railway has unfortunately been removed. There have been rumours and proposals for bringing the railway back to Tavistock almost since it was closed, but so far no firm plans have been made.
Tavistock is also notable as the birthplace of Sir Francis Drake in 1542, whose statue stands on a roundabout on Plymouth Road.
The poet William Browne was also born in Tavistock.
The Abbey
The town still possesses the remains of a Benedictine abbey, which was founded in 974 AD by Ordulph, the Earl of Devonshire. The Abbey was attacked around 997 AD by the Vikings. The Abbey continued to be of significant importance until Henry VIII's infamous Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1539.
In 1525 the abbey possessed one of the first printing presses in England.