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The western side of Dartmoor tends to be rugged and desolate and the only significant centre is Tavistock an unspoilt market town which is only ten miles north of Plymouth but with quite a unique character.
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| Picture of a the beautiful River Tavy in Tavistock | |
Tavistock was the seat of the most powerful abbey in the West Country during the middle ages until its dissolution by Henry VIII and it continued to prosper as a tin and wool centre but the discovery of copper deposits in the vicinity in 1844 led to the building boom that gives it its distinct Victorian appearance today.
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| Picture of a the Church in Tavistock | |
The granite cobbled Bedford Square at the centre of the town is a fine example of Victorian ensemble building. There is the Pannier Market behind the Victorian Town Hall which has been a feature every Friday since 1105 other days you can pick up craftwork, antiques and other collectibles.
There are some great walks to be had from Tavistock, south to Double Waters or North to Brent Tor and Gibbet Hill, East of Tavistock are the Merrivale Rows one of the moors finest prehistoric sites.
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