Here are some interesting facts about Tavistock

• Population estimate: 11599 (2007)
• Its most famous son is Sir Francis Drake
• Tavistock can trace its history back to at least to AD 961
• During the Black Death 52 towns people died
• Tavistock lies on the edge of Dartmoor
• In 2005 Tavistock was voted 'Best Market Town'
• Tavistock is twinned with Pontivy, France, and Celle, Germany

Derivation of the name Tavistock

Derived from the Saxons who settled in Tavistock, the towns name came from Saxon terms for a settlement and the river Tavy.
The Saxon word stoc signified more than one dwelling, a place. As the dwellings were situated by the River Tavy so the name for the dwellings became Tavy Stoc.

There are several meanings to many of the Saxon words and the name for the River had actually been called Little Tau!  Saxon Chronicles note that the town appears as Ætavingstoke, but the name could have come in many forms such as Tau vechan, or little Tau.
As this is a quick fact page we'll leave the meaning of the town's name here, but look out for future articles on how the town was named!

Written by :

Keith Davis