Devon has no less than six heritage sites that have been recognised by UNESCO as being of outstanding global significance - more than any other English county. They include parts of the Jurassic Coast and Cornish Mining World Heritage Sites, the English Riviera UNESCO Global Geopark and the North Devon UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Exeter has also been designated as a UNESCO City of Literature and Exeter Cathedral’s 1,000-year-old Exeter Book is included in UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register.
The Devonshire Association’s new fully illustrated booklet describes each of these six Devon sites and highlights their special importance. Its publication brings to an end the Celebrating Devon’s World-Class Heritage programme of events that the Association, with the support of The National Lottery Heritage Fund, organised during 2025.
The programme featured twelve Discovery Days of free guided tours and talks in all the UNESCO sites, two heritage conferences in Exeter and Tiverton and a special talk in Plymouth on Climate Change and Devon’s World-Class Environment. The Devonshire Association also partnered with Beaford Arts to sponsor bursaries for two young students to create new artworks inspired by Devon’s heritage.
James Bridge, Chief Executive, UK National Commission for UNESCO said:
“I was very pleased to support the Devonshire Association in its celebration of the County’s world-class heritage, introducing the six UNESCO Designations in Devon, spanning five of the Programmes we oversee. I am delighted this booklet will now be available on-line, allowing the value of these sites to be shared World-side. As the UK National Commission for UNESCO, we work closely with Designations through our programmes Local to Global and Climate Change and UNESCO Heritage to help them achieve their aims and ensure that the ‘UNESCO in the UK’ network is a strong and resilient one, and the support of the Devonshire Association to achieve this is very much appreciated.”
Nick Powe, President of the Devonshire Association, said:
“Who knew Devon has more UNESCO designations than any other county in the UK. A UNESCO Global Geopark, two World Heritage Sites, a Biosphere Reserve, the capital city is one of UNESCO’s Creative Cities for literature and a one-thousand-year-old book,in Old English, the ‘Exeter Book’, on display in Exeter Cathedral’s newly opened Treasures Gallery, is inscribed in UNESCO’s Memory of the World. What a remarkable collection of UNESCO designations and a reflection of the quality of heritage in the county. The DA’s comprehensive 42-page A4 guide to these six designations is now available on-line. The DA was founded in 1862 to promote understanding across a broad range of interests relating to Devon and this guide is an excellent example of that long-held tradition. If you have an interest in science, literature and art, or simply love Devon, not only is the DA probably for you, this guide is sure to interest you.”
Stuart McLeod, Director of England - London & South at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said:
“Thanks to National Lottery players, we’re delighted to support the Devonshire Association in celebrating the county’s extraordinary heritage. The booklet brings to life the diverse heritage on offer in Devon and shares the story behind each of the six UNESCO sites. We’re lucky to have fascinating heritage on our doorstep and we know it is a great way of bringing people together and creating a sense of pride of place, that in turn can deliver wider economic benefits.”
The Devonshire Association’s new booklet can be viewed online at https://devonassoc.org.uk/celeb/ where there is also further information about its Celebrating Devon’s World-Class Heritage events. Printed copies of the booklet can also be purchased at £5 (including postage and packing) by contacting the Devonshire Association at [email protected]
The project has been the catalyst for UNESCO’s presence in Devon to be showcased to national and international audiences at VisitDevon, the county’s official destination marketing organisation, through a new webpage, and map, launched on 10 March 2026 dedicated to UNESCO’s six designations in Devon https://www.visitdevon.co.uk/explore/unesco-in-devon/
