Trip down memory lane sheds light on new Honiton road name 'Sion Close'

Sought after opportunities to own a new home in Honiton are being made available thanks to a recent housing development.

The Taylor Wimpey site at Mountbatten Mews offers a selection of two-bedroom apartments as well as two, three and four-bedroom homes.

But what was there before?

Local historian, Terry Darrant, provides some of the backstory and explains why he chose 'Sion Close' as one of the new place names.

History of Mountbatten Mews

For many decades Ottery Moor Lane has been home primarily to Bramble Hill Industrial Estate and Honiton Town FC, however its industrial past fell into decline over the early part of the 2000s.

First saw the closure of Express Dairies in 2006, in the town since 1969, and then the further loss of the local discount chain Rainbow Superstores.

The loss of these two premises left two sizeable pieces of disused commercial land which is currently being developed into residential dwellings.

With new residential properties, such as Mountbatten Mews, come new roads; and these roads of course need naming, many of which reflect the town's historic past.

In the first instance the developers, Taylor Wimpey, approached the street naming authority, East Devon District Council (EDDC), with their own flora themed suggestions including Rose Way, Tulip Close, Primrose Way and Peony View.

In September 2019 EDDC approached the local town council for ideas, sharing both the developer's, as well as some of their own, taken from the Honiton Tithe Map of 1843, which included 'Hooperhaynes', 'Hill Close' and 'Town Hills'.

Members of Honiton Town Council pointed out that some of EDDC's suggestions were very similar to existing roads within the town, such as Hill Crescent and Town Farm Close, and councillors wished to put forward names which specifically reflected the town's, and area's past.

Councillors put forward several of the adopted names including 'Bobbin Close' and 'Silk Drive'; with relation to the town's lace history, and 'Crier Street' as a testament to Honiton's centuries long tradition of a town crier.

As a town councillor, at the time, I too put forward the suggestion of 'Sion Close', as the area was once known as Sion Hill, as well as the idea of 'Flood Way'.

This is after a 19th century owner of the land and the first Honiton Borough Council Mayor Christopher Flood however, the feeling was that the name 'flood' could be misinterpreted by future residents so was not adopted.

The other names put forward by Honiton Town Council were' Old Show Field Way', as the site once hosted Honiton Show, and 'Dairy Close' as a testament to Express Dairies which once occupied the site next to Honiton Town FC.

These suggestions were submitted back to East Devon and subsequently adopted.

The new development is currently known as 'Mountbatten Mews', and the large set of apartments, near completion, on the former Rainbow Superstore site – known as 'Oaklea House'.

Mountbatten is also the name of the football field which takes its name from Louis Mountbatten whose assassination coincided with Honiton Town FC moving onto the field, and Oaklea is taken from the close proximity road of the same name.