*HONITON, (Devon) 126 cm. 156 mm. from London, in the road from it to Exeter, stands near the r. Otter (over which it has a bridge) in the best and pleasantest part of the Co. and has a view of the adjacent country, which abounds with corn and pasture, and is the most beautiful landship perhaps in the world, almost all the way to Exeter, which is 12 m. 'Tis an ancient Bor. by prescription, and governed by a portreeve, who is chose yearly at the court of the Ld. of the manor. 'Tis a populous wellbuilt T. having a channel of clear water running through its main street, with a dipping place at every door; and it is remarkably paved with small pebbles. The p. Ch. being half a m. from the T. upon a hill, the gentry ride to it on horseback, or in coaches; for whose conveniency there are stables erected near the Ch.-yard. There was an old chapel in the T. which being ruinous, a new one was built in 1743. Here was the first forge mf. in Devonshire; but the people are now chiefly employed ia the mf. of lace, the broadest that is made in England, of which great quantities are sent to London, A ch. sc. for 30 boys was founded here in 1713; and about a quarter of a m. out of the T. on the E. side of the road to Exeter, there is an hos. for 4 lepers, which was founded and endowed by Tho. Chard, an abbat, with a handsome chapel to it. The governor and patients are put in by the rector, church-wardens, and overseers of the p. and by a regulation in 1642, other poor patients are admitted, as well as lepers. Before the R. of K. John its Mt. was kept on Sunday, but then it was changed to S. and here is a Fair July 20. The manor did anciently bel. to the Earls of Devon, and is still part of the estate of the Courtneys of Powderham-Castle, a younger branch of their family. The list of members of Pt. for this T. begins the 28th of Edward I. but the privilege of electing them was discontinued, till it was restored in the 16th of Cha. I. A dreadful fire happened here July 19, 1747, by which three parts of the T. were consumed, and the damage was computed at 43,000 l.