Court Leet Ale Tasting
This Manorial Borough of Newton Abbot through its Court is holding its annual ale tasting event in Newton Abbot.
The manorial borough was a unit of local government for over six hundred years, from the founding of the town until Mid-Victorian times. For the first three centuries the lordship of the borough was held by Torre Abbey, and for the next three by the Yarde and Lane families of Bradley Manor. But it was the free tenants who regulated the civic life of the town, meeting together in the borough courts and taking turns as portreeve, ale-taster and jurors.
After a century and a half of reform and reorganisation most civic functions are now exercised by the Town, District and County Councils, while the town has expanded far beyond the borough boundary and the free tenants have become freeholders. But the manorial borough has never ceased to exist in law, and under the present holder of the lordship the courts leet and baron were revived in 1991, and an ale-tasting ceremony has since been held annually.
This is a family event and people are encouraged to participate in this spectacular event.
Newton Abbot Civic Society – Your Community Watchdog
What We Do
The Newton Abbot Society is your local civic society, affiliated to the Civic Trust. It exists to preserve and protect all that is best in our community, to improve amenities and to prevent encroachments and developments that might spoil our environment. The Society acts as a neighbourhood watchdog, but also goes much further and seeks to be actively represented on various committees, local bodies and in any situation where the interests of our community may be affected. While some times acting as a pressure group the Society is non-political – the well being of Newton Abbot is our sole concern.
The Urban Environment.
Preservation and improvement of features of historic interest. Concern for good standards of architecture and town planning. We aim to make representations on all major planning applications.
The Natural Environment.
Conservation and improvements of parks, commons, green areas and trees. Any development, change of land use and inappropriate tree-felling are subject of representations and proposals from the Society.
Traffic and Roads.
Ever-increasing traffic through Newton Abbot is now a critical problem. The Society aims to make representations on road proposals, traffic management schemes and all transport matters, including public transport services.
