Mary Tavy

Village in Devon, England

Human settlement in England
  • West Devon
Shire county
  • Devon
Region
  • South West
CountryEnglandSovereign stateUnited KingdomPost townTAVISTOCKPostcode districtPL19PoliceDevon and CornwallFireDevon and SomersetAmbulanceSouth Western UK Parliament
  • Torridge and West Devon
List of places
UK
England
Devon
50°35′29″N 4°07′14″W / 50.59141°N 4.12051°W / 50.59141; -4.12051

Mary Tavy (/ˈteɪvi/) is a village with a population of around 600, located four miles north of Tavistock in Devon in south-west England; it is named after the River Tavy. There is an electoral ward with the same name. Its population at the 2011 census was 1,559.[1] Mary Tavy used to be home to the world's largest copper mine Wheal Friendship,[citation needed] as well as a number of lead and tin mines. It lies within Dartmoor National Park. The village lies a mile or two north of Peter Tavy; both were shown as separate settlements in the Domesday Book entry of 1086.

St Mary's Parish Church has a pinnacled west tower built of granite, a south porch with old wagon roof and a south transept built in 1893.[2]

To deter highwaymen from attacking travellers along the road between Tavistock and Okehampton, captured highwaymen were hanged from a gibbet on what is now known as 'Gibbet Hill'.[citation needed]

Mary Tavy hydro-electric power station was built in the 1930s.[3] The station uses water from reservoirs to generate electricity. The Mary Tavy set is rated at 2,622 kW, the Chagford set is rated at 26 kW and the Morwelham set at 700 kW. In the year 1980-81 the total electricity output was 11.91 GWh.[4]

Notable people

Transport

Road

Mary Tavy sits on the A386 which runs up to Okehampton in the North and Plymouth via Tavistock in the South. A30 dual carriageway is the nearest fast route.

Bus Services

Mary Tavy is served by Dartline's 118 between Tavistock and Okehampton.

Many years ago C. J. Down Coaches who are based in Mary Tavy used to run the service, however they haven't for many years and closed for good in 2023 after 100 years.

Coach Services

Lomax Tours run coach excursions throughout the year from Mary Tavy to places of interest such as Bath Christmas Market, Lyme Regis etc.

References

  1. ^ "ward population 2011". Retrieved 17 February 2015.
  2. ^ Pevsner, N. (1952) South Devon. Penguin Books
  3. ^ "Mary Tavy power station". Grace's Guide to British Industrial History. 29 June 2018. Retrieved 4 February 2020.
  4. ^ CEGB (1981). CEGB Statistical Yearbook 1980-81. London: CEGB. p. 7.
  5. ^ "William Crossing – Hundred Years On Dartmoor". Mary Tavy Parish Council. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
  6. ^ Roberts, David; Marchildon, Gregory P. "Plummer, James Henry". Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Retrieved 1 June 2024.

External links

  • Media related to Mary Tavy at Wikimedia Commons
  • Mary Tavy travel guide from Wikivoyage