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- For the local ITV broadcaster, see the Westcountry Television.
The West Country is an informal term for the area of south-western England, roughly corresponding to the administrative region South West England. This is generally understood as Devon, Cornwall, Somerset, Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and Dorset. The area is mostly rural, with a few notable cities. Tourism and agriculture, especially dairy farming, play a significant role in the economy. The landscape is principally granite moorland in the west, chalk and limestone downland and clay vales in the east. Historically, tin mining and the fishery were sources of income and employment, but not so much today, although the latter still contributes to the economy. The region is most famous for its produce of cider, clotted cream and pasties.
As with any informal area, its boundaries are difficult to define. For example, the further West, the less Easterly one would consider part of the region. It is often difficult to define a county as being "West Country" when it is a popular destination for commuters, but it is important to look at the lifestyle, accents and dialects of the true residents before making an informed decision.
Cornwall especially has a distinct view on the exclusivity of what defines a West Country county; it was one of the last areas to come under Saxon domination. To this day, many people in Cornwall do not consider themselves English (see Constitutional status of Cornwall, Cornish self-government movement, and Cornish people).
The West Country is sometimes associated with the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Wessex, and Wessex regionalists seek to promote this as an alternative to the South-West region. These movements, as they do not include Cornwall, are generally supported by Cornish nationalists.
West Country and Cornish nationalism or separatism are very much concerns of a tiny minority.
See also
Counties (and unitary authorities)
Notable Towns and Cities
- Barnstaple
- Bath
- Bournemouth
- Bridgwater
- Bristol
- Calne
- Chippenham
- Devizes
- Dorchester
- Exeter
- Marlborough
- Newquay
- Penzance
- Plymouth
- Salisbury
- Swindon
- Taunton
- Tiverton
- Torquay
- Trowbridge
- Truro
- Warminster
- Westbury
- Weston-super-Mare
- Weymouth
- Yeovil
Places of interest
- Avebury
- Bodmin Moor
- Dartmoor
- Exmoor
- Jurassic Coast
- Mendip Hills
- South West Coast
- Stonehenge
- West Country Carnival circuit
- White Horse at Cherhill
See also
- Scrumpy and Western music
- Thomas Hardy (West Country novelist)
- UK topics
- West Country dialects
"West Country"