This is a list of people from Devon, a county in

South West England South West England, or the South West of England, is one of nine official regions of England. It consists of the counties of Bristol, Cornwall (including the Isles of Scilly), Dorset, Devon, Gloucestershire, Somerset and Wiltshire. Cities ...

. The demonym of

Devon Devon ( , historically known as Devonshire , ) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South West England. The most populous settlement in Devon is the city of Plymouth, followed by Devon's county town, the city of Exeter. Devo ...

is Devonian. This list is arranged alphabetically by surname. A more complete listing is at :People from Devon.

A

Henry Avery Henry Every, also known as Henry Avery (20 August 1659after 1696), sometimes erroneously given as Jack Avery or John Avery, was an English pirate who operated in the Atlantic and Indian oceans in the mid-1690s. He probably used several aliases ...

(1659 – after 1696),

pirate Piracy is an act of robbery or criminal violence by ship or boat-borne attackers upon another ship or a coastal area, typically with the goal of stealing cargo and other valuable goods. Those who conduct acts of piracy are called pirates, v ...

B

* Charles Babbage (1791–1871), inventor *

Baldwin of Exeter Baldwin of Forde or FordSharpe ''Handlist of Latin Writers'' pp. 66–67 ( – 19 November 1190) was Archbishop of Canterbury between 1185 and 1190. The son of a clergyman, he studied canon law and theology at Bologna and was tutor to Pop ...

(d. 1190), Archbishop of Canterbury * W. N. P. Barbellion: pen name of Bruce Frederick Cummings,

diarist A diary is a written or audiovisual record with discrete entries arranged by date reporting on what has happened over the course of a day or other period. Diaries have traditionally been handwritten but are now also often digital. A personal d ...

Sir Francis Baring, 1st Baronet Sir Francis Baring, 1st Baronet (18 April 1740 – 11 September 1810) was an English merchant banker, a member of the Baring family, later becoming the first of the Baring baronets. Early life He was born at Larkbeare House near Exeter, so ...

(1740–1810), banker *

Sabine Baring-Gould Sabine Baring-Gould ( ; 28 January 1834 – 2 January 1924) of Lew Trenchard in Devon, England, was an Anglican priest, hagiographer, antiquarian, novelist, folk song collector and eclectic scholar. His bibliography consists of more than 1,2 ...

(1834–1924), scholar, clergyman, novelist and antiquary * Sue Barker (born 1956), tennis player and television presenter * Kenneth Barnes (1878–1957), director of

RADA The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA; ) is a drama school in London, England, that provides vocational conservatoire training for theatre, film, television, and radio. It is based in the Bloomsbury area of Central London, close to the Se ...

Cliff Bastin Clifford Sydney Bastin (14 March 1912 – 4 December 1991) was an English footballer who played as a winger for Exeter City and Arsenal. He also played for the England national team. Bastin is Arsenal's third-highest goalscorer of all time. C ...

(1912–1991), Arsenal and England footballer *

Phil Beer Phil Beer (born 12 May 1953 in Exminster, Devon, England) is an English multi-instrumentalist, composer, producer, and one half of English acoustic roots duo Show of Hands. Biography Beer first began to play fiddle, guitar, and mandolin whils ...

(born 1953), musician and composer (born at Exminster) *

Matthew Bellamy Matthew James Bellamy (born 9 June 1978) is an English singer, musician, producer, and songwriter. He is primarily known as the lead vocalist, guitarist, pianist, and primary songwriter for English rock band Muse (band), Muse. He is recognised ...

(born 1978), guitarist, pianist, and vocalist of rock band

Muse In ancient Greek religion and mythology, the Muses ( grc, Μοῦσαι, Moûsai, el, Μούσες, Múses) are the inspirational goddesses of literature, science, and the arts. They were considered the source of the knowledge embodied in the ...

* John Bidlake (1755–1814), clergyman, author, artist *

John Carne Bidwill John Carne Bidwill (5 February 1815 – 16 March 1853) was an English botanist who documented plant life in New Zealand and Australia. He is attributed with the discovery of several Australian plant species. Life in England Bidwill ...

(1815–1853), botanist, first Director,

Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney The Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney is a heritage-listed major botanical garden, event venue and public recreation area located at Farm Cove on the eastern fringe of the Sydney central business district, in the City of Sydney local government ar ...

Margaret Bingham Margaret Bingham, Countess of Lucan (1740 – 27 February 1814)Ernest Radford, "Bingham, Margaret, Countess of Lucan (c. 1740–1814)", rev. V. Remington, ODNB, Oxford University Press, 200Retrieved 4 October 2014/ref> was an English painter, co ...

(1740–1814), countess, painter and writer Wikisource:Bingham, Margaret (DNB00) *Sir

Thomas Bodley Sir Thomas Bodley (2 March 1545 – 28 January 1613) was an English diplomat and scholar who founded the Bodleian Library in Oxford. Origins Thomas Bodley was born on 2 March 1545, in the second-to-last year of the reign of King Henry VIII, ...

(1545–1613), diplomat and founder of the Bodleian Library at Oxford * Zachary Bogan (1625–1659), English scholar * Saint Boniface ( 675–754), patron saint of the

Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

and Germany *Sir

John Bowring Sir John Bowring , or Phraya Siamanukulkij Siammitrmahayot, , , group=note (17 October 1792 – 23 November 1872) was a British political economist, traveller, writer, literary translator, polyglot and the fourth Governor of Hong Kong. He was a ...

(1792–1872), political economist and Governor of Hong Kong *

Henry de Bracton Henry of Bracton, also Henry de Bracton, also Henricus Bracton, or Henry Bratton also Henry Bretton (c. 1210 – c. 1268) was an English cleric and jurist. He is famous now for his writings on law, particularly ''De legibus et consuetudinibus ...

(d. 1268), jurist *

Eustace Budgell Eustace Budgell (19 August 1686 – 4 May 1737) was an English writer and politician. Life and Death Born in St Thomas near Exeter, he was the son of Gilbert Budgell, D.D. by his first wife Mary, only daughter of Bishop William Gulston of Bri ...

(1686–1737), writer *

Tony Burrows Anthony Burrows (born 14 April 1942) is an English pop singer and recording artist. As a prolific session musician, Burrows was involved in the production of numerous transatlantic hit singles throughout the late 1960s and early 1970s, most of wh ...

(born 1942), pop singer *Richard Francis Burton, Richard Burton (1821–1890), explorer and linguist

C

*Michael Caines (b. 1969), chef and restaurateur *Edward Capern (1819–1894), poet *Mary Carpenter (1807–1877), educational and social reformer *William Benjamin Carpenter (1813–1885), physiologist and naturalist *Pearl Carr (1921-2020), entertainer and runner up in , born in Exmouth *Raymond Cattell (1905–1998), psychology pioneer *Jim Causley (b. 1980, Heavitree), folk singer and radio presenter *Jimmy Cauty (b. 1956), pop musician *Henry Chadwick (writer), Henry Chadwick (1824–1908), journalist, "the father of baseball" *Sir Francis Chichester (1901–1972), aviator and sailor *Agatha Christie (1890–1976), novelist *Lady Mary Chudleigh (1656–1710), early feminist and poet *William Kingdon Clifford (1845–1879), mathematician *Eleanor Coade (1733–1821), inventor of Coade stone *Lily Cole (b. 1988), supermodel and actress *Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772–1834), poet *David Collins (lieutenant governor), David Collins (1756–1810), first Governor of Van Diemens Land (Tasmania) *Peter Cook (1937–1995), comedian, born in Torquay *William Cookworthy (1705–1780), pharmacist and industrialist *Tommy Cooper (1921–1984), comedian, was born in Caerphilly but lived in Exeter from the age of 3 * William Johnson Cory (1823–1892), educator and poet *Samuel Cousins (1801–1887), engraver *Edmund Crispin (1921–1978), novelist and composer *Lisa Cross (b. 1978), IFBB professional bodybuilder *William Crossing (1847–1928), author *Richard Cosway (1742-1821), miniature painter *Thomas Cameron (born 1998), classical singer/radio host

D

*Tom Daley (diver), Thomas Daley (born 1994), diver *Sharron Davies (born 1962), Olympic swimmer and television presenter *David Rodgers (born 1952), Former TSW Presenter and Radio Station owner *Roger Deakins (born 1949), cinematographer *Kristian Digby (b. 1977 Torquay. d. 2010 London), television presenter *Sir Francis Drake (–1596), sailor *Thomas d'Urfey (1653–1723), dramatist

E

*Charles Lock Eastlake (1793–1865), artist *Marc Edworthy (born 1972), footballer *Samuel Eyles Pierce (1746–1829), preacher, theologian, and Calvinist divine *Henry Every (c. 1653/59–?), pirate *Sir Richard Eyre (born 1943), theatre, television, and film director

F

*Percy Fawcett (1867–1925), archaeologist and explorer *Michael Foot (1913–2010), Labour politician *Trevor Francis (born 1954), professional footballer *Dawn French (born 1957), comedian *George Friend (born 1987), professional footballer for Middlesbrough F.C. *Luke Friend (born 1996), ''X Factor'' finalist

G

*John Gay (1685–1732), poet and dramatist *Geraint of Dumnonia, Geraint (died 710), King of Dumnonia *Beth Gibbons (b. 1965), singer with Portishead (band), Portishead *Humphrey Gilbert (–1583), sailor and explorer *John Glanville (judge), John Glanville (1542–1600), MP and High Court Judge *Elizabeth Godwin, first female officer of Life Guards (United Kingdom), The Life Guards *Matthew Goode (b. 1978), actor in such movies as ''Brideshead Revisited (2008 film), Brideshead Revisited'' and ''Watchmen (2009 film), Watchmen'' *Dan Gosling (born 1990), English footballer *Francis Carruthers Gould (1844–1925), caricaturist and politician *William Greening, politician *Richard Grenville (1542–1591), sailor and explorer

H

*George Hakewill (1578–1649), clergyman and author *William Hakewill (1574–1655), legal antiquarian *Carl Harbord (1908–1958), film actor *Theodore Bayley Hardy (1863–1918), Army chaplain and Victoria Cross, VC *Miranda Hart (b. 1972), actress and comedian *Henry Haversham Godwin-Austen (1834-1923), English topographer, geologist, naturalist and surveyor *Harriet Hawkins (b. 1980), professor of cultural geography *Matt Harvey (poet), Matt Harvey, poet *Benjamin Haydon (1786–1846), painter and writer *Francis Hayman (1708–1776), Rococo artist *Oliver Heaviside (1850–1925), mathematician *Nicholas Hilliard (), portraitist *Christopher Hitchens (1949–2011), writer, journalist, and literary critic *James Holman (1786–1857), noted blind traveller *John Hooker (English constitutionalist), John Hooker (), constitutionalist *Richard Hooker (theologian), Richard Hooker (1554–1600), Anglican theologian *W. G. Hoskins (1908–1992), historian of the English landscape *Ben Howard (b. 1987), folk musician *Dominic Howard (b. 1977), musician, drummer of rock band

*Thomas Hudson (painter), Thomas Hudson (1701–1779), portrait painter *Rosie Huntington-Whiteley (b. 1987), model

J

*Bradley James (born 1983 or 1984), actor *Thomas B. Jeffery (1845–1910), automotive pioneer who emigrated to the United States *Richard Roach Jewell (1810–1891), architect *Joseph of Exeter (12th century), poet

K

*Fred Karno (1866–1941), comedy pioneer and impresario *Benjamin Kennicott (1718–1783), Hebrew scholar *Peter King, 1st Baron King (1669–1734), Lord Chancellor *Charles Kingsley (1819–1875), novelist *Steve Knightley (born 1954), musician (born in Poole, Dorset) *George Knight-Bruce (1853–1896), clergyman becoming Diocese of the Free State, Bishop of Bloemfontein, then translated to be the first Anglican Diocese of Harare, Bishop of Mashonaland

L

*Seth Lakeman (b. 1977), folk musician (Born in Frome, Somerset to Cornish parents) *William Elford Leach (1791–1836), scientist *Jon Lee (singer), Jon Lee (b. 1982 Newton Abbot), singer with S Club 7 *Zion Lights (b. 1984), writer *Chris Lintott (b. 1980), scientist and writer *Matthew Locke (composer), Matthew Locke (ca. 1621–1677), baroque composer.

M

*Chris Martin (b. 1977), singer with Coldplay *Jane McGrath (1966–2008), co-founder of the McGrath Foundation and late wife of fast bowler Glenn McGrath, Glenn *Liam Mooney (b. 1972), entrepreneur * Penny Mordaunt (b. 1973), politician *Clare Morrall (b. 1952), novelist *Ian Mortimer (historian), Ian Mortimer (b. 1967), historian *Dean Moxey (b. 1986), professional footballer for Crystal Palace *Jerri Mumford (1909–2002), British-born Canadian servicewoman during World War II *Dermot Murnaghan (b. 1957), TV journalist and news presenter

N

*Ben Nealon (b. 1966), actor *Luke Newberry (b. 1990), actor

O

*Simon Ockley (1678–1720), orientalist *Ponsonby Ogle (1855–1902), British writer and journalist

P

*Richard Parker (mutineer), Richard Parker (1767–1797), sailor and mutineer *James Parsons (physician), James Parsons (1705–1770), physician, antiquary and author *Jo Pavey (b. 1973), Olympic Runner *William Peryam (1534–after 1603), lawyer *St Petroc (), saint *Sergio Pizzorno (b. 1980), guitarist from the band Kasabian *John Prince (Totnes), John Prince (1643–1723), clergyman and biographer *Poker Alice (1851–1930), American frontier gambler *John Skinner Prout (1805–1876), writer and artist in Tasmania *Samuel Prout (1783–1852), watercolour artist

R

*John Rainolds (1549–1605), Puritan scholar *Sir Walter Raleigh (1552–1618), sailor and writer *Chris Read (b. 1978), English test cricket wicket-keeper *Joshua Reynolds (1723–1792), influential English painter *Peter Richardson (actor), Peter Richardson (b. 1952), actor, comedian, director and writer *Bertram Fletcher Robinson (1870–1907), author, journalist, editor and sportsperson *Philip Hutchins Rogers (1794–1853), artist *Sir Henry Rosewell (1590–1656), Puritan, of Forde Abbey, adventurer of the Dorchester Company *John Rowe (merchant), John Rowe (1715–1787), merchant and owner of ship involved in the Boston Tea Party *John "Jack" Russell (1795–1883), eponymous dog-breeder and a founder member of the Kennel Club *Lobsang Rampa (1910–1981), author and plumber

S

*Robert Falcon Scott (1868–1912), RN officer and Antarctic explorer *Nicholas Slanning, Sir Nicholas Slanning (1606–1643), MP, Royalist soldier in the English Civil War *Wayne Sleep (b. 1948), dancer and choreographer *Lilly Martin Spencer (1822–1902), US painter *Samuel Stennett (1727–1795), Baptist minister and hymnwriter *John Stockham (1765–1814), naval officer *Robert Stone (composer), Robert Stone (1516–1613), composer and member of the Chapel Royal. *Henrietta Anne Stuart (1644–1670), daughter of Charles I of England, King Charles I *Anthony Sullivan (Pitchman), Anthony Sullivan (b. 1969), TV commercial pitchman, and co-star of the show ''Pitchmen'' on Discovery Channel *Sam Simmonds (rugby union), Sam Simmonds (b. 1994), Exeter Chiefs and England rugby player

T

*Liam Tancock (b. 1985), Olympic swimmer *William Temple (archbishop), William Temple (1881–1944), Archbishop of Canterbury *Clive Toye (b. 1932), first general manager of New York Cosmos (1971–1985), New York Cosmos

V

*Irene Vanbrugh (1872–1949), actress *Phil Vickery (rugby player), Phil Vickery (b. 1976), rugby player *David Vine (1935–2009), TV sports presenter

W

*Snowy White (b. 1948), guitarist *William John Wills (1834–1861), explorer *Chris Wolstenholme (b. 1978), musician, bass player for the band

*Rebecca Worthley (b. 1981), singer-songwriter *Rosemary West (b. 1953), serial killer with Fred West *Josh Widdicombe (b. 1983), comedian

Y

*Thomas Yalden (1670–1736), poet

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See also

References

Further reading