Okehampton

OkehamptonCentre of Okehampton, Devon, Eng.

Okehampton, town (parish), West Devon borough, administrative and historic county of Devon, southwestern England. It lies on the River Okement, at the northern edge of the wild heathland known as Dartmoor.

There was originally a Saxon settlement on the site, but it was abandoned after the Norman Conquest in 1066, when a castle was built, the keep of which remains. The town received its first charter of incorporation during the reign of Edward I (1272–1307).

Today Okehampton is a small rural service centre and a gateway community to Dartmoor National Park. to the south. Pop. (2001) 5,846; (2011) 7,104.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Amy Tikkanen.