Tavistock, Tavistock

This ancient stannary (tin-assaying and tin-marketing) town lies on the southwest edge of Dartmoor National Park , about 24 km (15 miles) north of Plymouth. It gets its name from the River Tavy, on which it lies, and 'stock', which indicates that it became a prominent agricultural market for the area nearly a thousand years ago, when a Benedictine Abbey was founded. It is the largest town in West Devon and still flourishes, being full of interesting shops, a fine market, riverside park, leisure centre and arts centre . The town buildings are composed mainly of local stone and it is a great base for exploring the beautiful rolling countryside around it, the grandeur of Dartmoor and nearby places of interest, such as Morwellham Quay and Cothele .