The little town with the long history, Ottery St Mary is situated within the beautiful Otter Valley and surrounded by some of the richest rolling countryside in the South West. An area that has inspired many of Britain's famous writers and poets, including Charles Dickens, Jane Austen and Vanity Fair's creator William Thackeray, it's most famous 'son' is the poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge, who's celebrated poems have drawn crowds from across the world to this ancient West Country town.
More recently Ottery St Mary was featured in the Harry Potter books, under the guise of Ottery St Catchpole.
It's church St, Mary's was founded in 1327 and is an accurate scale replica of the Medieval Exeter Cathedral. The old wooded stocks were formally used as an alternative to a night in jail for drunkenness! Famed as one of the finest parishes in England, its stunning architecture is a highlight of this quaint, historic town.
The area is also famed for its traditional events. Its November 5th Flaming Tar Barrel Event originated in the 17th century and on the Saturday nearest midsummers day, the pixies take their revenge! Local children re-enact a legend and run to the church where they capture the bell ringers and spirit them off to their cave in the square.