Devon is home to many gorgeous locals and as such it is the envy of many an English County. Its placement among such great rivers as the Dart and the estuary where Dartmouth can be found allows Devon bragging rights throughout history and the South Devon area is officially recognized by the government to be an "Area of Outstanding National Beauty". Devon also runs out to the English Channel by way of the River Sid and it is here that we find yet another town worthy of acclaim within the county. Sidmouth, the charming little town right alongside the channel and the Sid, is a fantastic little burg that has individuality written all over it. It is a popular tourist destination but it is also a small, quaint town with only fifteen thousand citizens, many of whom are over sixty-five.
The most significant thing about Sidmouth, though, would have to be its importance in the ecology and environment of England. Most of the town is designated as a Conservation Area and this has hampered some building projects throughout the years but the expense of losing the precious landscape of this ancient town. Sidmouth is a gateway town that leads tourists and scientists alike to the extremely famous Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site. This famed site was only the second site in England to be given the honor of a Heritage placing and the massive amount of historical significance found in the area ensures that this area will forever remain unsullied by human hands. The cliffs found in this area span over one hundred and eighty million years and date back to the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous periods. This area was also the site of the first Icthyasaur fossil ever discovered.
Sidmouth's man-made creations are worthy of acclaim, however, it should be known that the architecture in the town often approaches the natural beauty of the landscape in a way that seems both refreshing and right. The Britain in Bloom Award honors the best towns each year in terms of culture and beauty and Sidmouth wins this honor consistently. Sidmouth is also the home of the fantastic Lockyer Observatory and Planetarium. This massive observatory dates back to the first decade of the 1900s and it was almost completely destroyed and torn down until some thoughtful citizens saved the observatory from certain doom. It has since been refurbished and is now open to the public. This is a terrific boon for the citizens and visitors of Sidmouth because now they can always go up and gaze at the heavens through one of the most advanced telescopes on the continent. Sidmouth seemingly has its heart in the right place in the way that it has consistently refused urban sprawl in favor of natural beauty and wonder. If only every English town were as dedicated to maintaining the scenery that was there long before humans began to stake their claim.
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