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Wedding Locations in South Devon

For those thinking about possible wedding locations, they couldn’t do much better than to consider the stunning scenery of south Devon. The area boasts a warm communal atmosphere and a rich diversity of options for those considering it as a wedding location. One can enjoy a romantic beachside wedding or have the ceremony held in a number of traditional English venues around the Salcombe and East Portlemouth area.

Wedding locations in south Devon benefit from some of the most breathtaking scenery in the whole of southern England. From a Salcombe wedding location, one can see out across the Salcombe Estuary to the golden beaches of East Portlemouth and beyond to the wide blue of the English Channel. On a clear day, one can even see as far inland as Dartmoor, calling to mind the nineteenth century Gothic romance of such as novels as “The Thief of Virtue”, “A Book of Dartmoor” and, perhaps most famously, “The Hound of the Baskervilles”.

A small ferry, such as are common in southern Devon, links Salcombe with East Portlemouth. Both towns lie within the South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, a region established in 1960 to protect the singular beauty of the area and the rare fauna that reside there (such as the Cirl Bunting and the Greater Horseshoe Bat).

There is a strong community atmosphere in Salcombe and East Portlemouth, ensuring that anyone making their wedding location in south Devon will receive a warm and interested greeting. As a sign of the local communal atmosphere, Salcombe’s Cliff House was left in trust for the benefit of the town’s people and now serves as a home for the Yacht Club and is currently undergoing renovation to make it a cultural and social hub for the local community.

Up until the last century, the local economy relied on the sea and Salcombe still retains much of its fishing village aesthetic. Perhaps surprisingly, most of the beachside buildings are relatively modern constructs, offering all the amenities one might expect. In older days, settlements were built further inland because, as well as offering a bountiful harvest, the sea was also a place of danger; a place where people drowned and from whence came invaders such as the Romans, the Vikings and the Normans.

Indeed, south Devon is an area with a fascinating history. In 1588 it was at nearby Bolt Tail that the lone ship from the Spanish Armada to be wrecked on the English shore ran aground. During the English Civil War, Salcombe harbour was the site of a four month stand off as Parliamentarian forces lay siege to the Royalist holdouts holed up in the King’s old sea defences. The town began to develop as a place for holidaymakers between the First and Second World Wars; the visitors attracted by the same stunning scenery that makes the area an ideal wedding location. Today, this exceptional beauty has made it a popular home (or home from home) for celebrities such as sports commentator Steve Rider, singer-songwriter Kate Bush, Blur and Gorillaz front man Damon Albarn, former BBC royal commentator Jenny Bond, comedian and actor Rik Mayall, and legendary chat show host Michael Parkinson; so anyone choosing south Devon as their wedding location will be in very good company.

Whether winter, spring, summer or autumn, south Devon makes the perfect wedding location. Beautiful scenery, a rich history, and a warm and welcoming atmosphere. At the height of summer, Salcombe is a busy tourist town, brought alive by laughter and jollity. Even in colder climes it remains stunning. As the noted nineteenth century historian James Froude said, “Winter in Salcombe is winter only in name”.