Apple's Taste of Devonshire - 2008

Today, Devonshire is known as Devon. Devon is a large county in South West England, bordered by Cornwall to the west, and Dorset and Somerset to the east. It is unique among English counties, in that it has two separated coastlines. The English Channel and the Bristol Channel which branches off the Atlantic. Devonshire is a common but entirely unofficial alternative name, often indicating a traditional or historical context.

The name "Devonshire tea" comes from the county of Devon, where it is a local speciality. The exact origin of "cream tea" is disputed, although there is evidence to suggest that the tradition of eating bread with cream and jam already existed at Tavistock Abbey in Devon in the 11th century.

Devon is the third largest of the English counties. The county town is the cathedral city of Exeter, and the county contains two independent unitary authorities, the port city of Plymouth and the Torbay. Much of the county is occupied by rural or National Park land is i.e. Dartmoor. The Dartmoor itself is one of the least populated area in England.

Dartmoor National Park covers an area of 368 square miles and contains the largest concentration of Bronze Age remains in the country. The reason for the survival of so many archaeological remains within the National Park is due to the fact that many of the structures were built of granite, a very durable stone, and also because human activity on the moor in later centuries was not intense. Dartmoor's high soil acidity means that virtually no pottery, bone or metal from the prehistoric past will survive here.

Many of the monuments are protected by law, making it an offence to damage or interfere with them in any way. They are infinitely valuable and fascinating relics of a long gone age.

There are many facts to remember while strolling across the moor - Some of them are very interesting. Check them out :-
Dartmoor is one of the most important archaeological landscapes in Britain. Each individual feature may hold a vital clue to the past.
Many archaeological sites are protected by law (The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act, 1979). One may be breaking the law if one disturbs them.
Many archaeological features are smaller than you might expect. Some are only a few centimetres high.
If you are not sure whether something is an archaeological feature or not, give it the benefit of the doubt and leave well alone.
Never disturb an archaeological site or ruined structure by moving stones around.
Never dig in or around an archaeological site. Information buried below ground is as important to the archaeologist as that which can be seen above ground.
Do not camp or light fires in or around archaeological sites.
Do not use archaeological sites to store equipment or as hiding places. Why on earth would one want to hide in the moor :o)?
Mine shafts and old mine workings can be dangerous.
The last fact takes the cake and the bakery too! :o) A pile of stones is not just a pile of stones. So had I created a pile using some stones from the roadside, it may have well gone down in history :o)