Beer, Devon 550967 224542421 2008-07-09T09:30:58Z Oneblackline 3657843 image to infobox. {{infobox UK place| |latitude= 50.7 |longitude= -3.1 |country = England |static_image= [[Image:Beach at Beer, Devon.JPG|right|240px|Beach at Beer.]] |official_name= Beer |population= 1,381 (2001 census) |shire_county = [[Devon]] |shire_district= [[East Devon]] |region= South West England |os_grid_reference =SY2289 |dial_code= |post_town= |postcode_area= |postcode_district= |constituency_westminster= }} The town of '''Beer''' is in southwest [[Devon]], [[England]], on [[Lyme Bay]]. The name is not derived from the [[beer|drink]] but from the old [[Old English language|Anglo-Saxon]] word "bearu" ("[[grove]]"), referring to the original [[forest]]ation that surrounded the town. It is a picturesque coastal village, 25 miles from [[Exeter]], that grew up around a smugglers' cove and caves which were once used to store contraband goods. These are now part of the attraction of the town.<!-- 'tourist attraction' tends to imply a business --> Many of the buildings are faced with [[flint]] a hard glassy stone found in the local [[chalk]] rock. Historically, the main sources of income for the town included [[fishing]] and [[lace]] production. Boats are winched up the beach (there is no "harbour"), and fresh fish is sold nearby. A "brook" winds its way in an open conduit alongside the main road down to the sea. It was said that you were not truly a local until you had fallen into it! The shape of the coastline allowed the seafarers of Beer to operate in weather conditions when other towns could not, as it is protected from the prevailing westerly winds by Beer Head and the chalk cliffs. Today, the sources of income are mainly [[tourism]] and fishing. Beer is also the home of the [[Peco (model railways)|Peco]]rama [[Rail transport modelling|model railway]] exhibition centre. Beer has a steep pebble beach. This makes walking on the beach difficult. Long rubber mats &mdash; actually recycled [[conveyor belt]]s &mdash; are laid down to assist walkers. Beer is home to an enormous man-made cave complex, the Beer Quarry Caves, resulting from the quarrying of [[Beer stone]]. This stone has been prized since [[Ancient Rome|Roman]] times, because of its workability for carving and for its gentle yellow colour on exposure to air. Beer stone was used in the construction of 24 cathedrals around the UK, including [[Exeter Cathedral]], [[Westminster Abbey]] and [[St. Paul's Cathedral]], and was also used in the building of Christchurch Cathedral, [[New York]]. [[Bovey House]], an [[Elizabethan architecture|Elizabethan]] [[manor house]], is a mile inland. [[Image:Beer_beach_2.JPG|thumb|200px|upright|right|Beer Beach boats]] ==See also== *[[Exeter]] *[[Lyme Regis]] *[[Sidmouth]] *[[Seaton, Devon|Seaton]] ==External links== *[http://www.beer-devon.co.uk/ Beer-Devon.co.uk] *[http://www.devon-online.com/towns/beer/beer.html Devon-online.com] *[http://www.bbc.co.uk/devon/outdoors/walks/branscombe_cont.shtml BBC heritage walk subpage] *[http://www.peco-uk.com/pecorama.htm Pecorama] *[http://www.europanoramas.eu/beer.htm A 360 degree 'virtual panorama' of the beach at Beer] *[http://www.europanoramas.eu/beer-quarry.htm A 360 degree 'virtual panorama' of Beer Quarry Caves] {{Template:Devon}} [[Category:Towns in Devon]] [[Category:Seaside resorts in England]] [[Category:Beaches of Devon]] [[de:Beer (Devon)]] [[es:Beer (Devon)]] [[fr:Beer (Devon)]] [[simple:Beer (Devon)]]