The place
Honiton is a market town and civil parish in East Devon, close to the River Otter. It lies about 16 miles north-east of Exeter in a straight line. Its built-up area had 12,155 residents at the 2021 census.
The town grew along the line of the Fosse Way, the Roman road linking Exeter to Lincoln. It appears in the Domesday Book as Honetone, meaning Huna’s farmstead. Later, in 1221, King Henry III granted it a royal charter to hold a market.
Honiton then became known for lace-making, which Flemish immigrants introduced in the Elizabethan era. In the 17th century, thousands of people made lace by hand in their homes. Today, Allhallows Museum says it holds one of the most comprehensive collections of Honiton lace in the world.
Fires badly damaged the town in 1747 and 1765. As a result, the buildings of the High Street are almost all Georgian. Older survivors include Marwood House, from 1619, and the Manor House, which was once a coaching inn.
What an installation here tends to involve
Older buildings like those on the High Street often have solid walls, rather than modern cavities. An installer may need a longer refrigerant run to reach a suitable outdoor spot from an internal wall.
Some older properties may also be listed or sit in a conservation area. Therefore, check with East Devon District Council’s planning team before you book a survey. A visible unit on a street-facing wall may need consent first, and our planning permission guide explains when that applies.
Newer homes with cavity walls usually make for a simpler first fix. Honiton sits inland, so salt-air precautions are not usually a factor. Even so, the installer will still check wind exposure on the plot.
Only an F-Gas certified engineer may work on the refrigerant. It is fine to ask for that certificate before work starts. Our installation page sets out what the job covers, whatever the wall type. How much fitting air conditioning costs is worth a read beforehand.
Honiton still holds its Hot Pennies ceremony each year in the High Street. At noon the Town Crier raises a garlanded pole topped with a gloved hand. People then throw pennies from balconies to the crowds below. The custom grew out of the fair that marked the 1221 market charter.
Coverage from Exeter
Honiton is about 22 miles by road from Exeter, around 30 minutes’ drive. Home cooling installs around Exeter cover the city end of that route. The town sits at the junction of the A35, A30, A373 and A375. In addition, the A30 has bypassed it to the north since 1966.
Honiton station, on the West of England Main Line, has services to London Waterloo and Exeter St Davids. Stagecoach buses link the town with Ottery St Mary and on to Exeter; see our Ottery St Mary installation page. Axminster and Seaton are also in reach, through fitting air conditioning in Axminster and Seaton air conditioning installation.
Getting matched in Honiton
Send one enquiry and we match your address with one pre-qualified installer who works here. It costs nothing and commits you to nothing.
Get in touch through the contact form, and the installer covering Honiton will follow up to arrange a survey. Mention whether your property sits on the High Street or further out. That helps them prepare for the kind of wall they will be working with.