h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

The idea that Devon is (or more accurately is NOT) part of Wessex has been discussed on this site previously.

Those who propose that it is are almost exclusively those to the east or west of Devon - the latter perhaps because it supports a view that "anything east of the Tamar is Saxon".

Few in Devon would support this view.

Support for the view that Devon is not a part of Wessex can come from unusual sources.

For example this one from the "Wessex Constitutional Convention" which is actually attempting to promote the idea of Wessex as a region - and that this includes Devon.

http://www.zyworld.com/wessexsociety/caseforwessex.htm

However at the foot of this website there are a number of maps - supposedly supporting the view of a Wessex region.

However if you look at those maps very few externally referenced maps actually include Devon in a Wessex region - and all that do also include Cornwall.

These are the maps shown which do NOT include Devon in Wessex

- Wessex Water
- Federation of Small Businesses
- Map of regions based upon C.B. Fawcett's The Provinces of England (1919)
- Former MAFF Wessex Region
- Countryside Alliance Wessex
- Environment Agency
- Tenant Farmers Association
- Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors
- Former Wessex NHS authority
- Pagan Federation Wessex district

There is three maps shown that include Devon in a "Wessex" region - but in all cases Cornwall is also included

- Territorial Army Wessex region
- Region currently covered by 43rd Wessex Brigade
- Map of bioregions produced by ECO, the Campaign for Political Ecology

The site also shows some maps that show a south-west region, which all include Devon, but also Cornwall - no surprises there.

And this all supposedly supports the view that Wessex should be defined as a region that includes Devon but not Cornwall??

Get real!