South Molton
| South Molton | |
| Devon | |
|---|---|
 The Square, South Molton | |
| Location | |
| Location: | 51°1’12"N, 3°49’48"W |
| Data | |
| Population: | 4,093 (2001) |
| Post town: | South Molton |
| Postcode: | EX36 |
| Dialling code: | 01769 |
| Local Government | |
| Council: | North Devon |
| Parliamentary constituency: |
North Devon |
South Molton is a small town in Devon, in the north of the county on the River Mole. According to the 2001 census the parish had a population of 4,093.
It is a small, well built market town trading mostly in sheep and cattle, on the southern side of Exmoor, just off the North Devon link road.
History
On 14 March 1655, during the Civil War, Sir John Penruddock was captured after a three-hour street fight in South Molton by soldiers of the New Model Army under the command of Captain Unton Crook. With his capture, the Penruddock uprising came to an end and so did the 1655 plans of the Sealed Knot to restore King Charles II to his throne.
South Moulton was once a borough and was reformed by the Municipal Reform Act 1835. It retained this status as a municipal borough until 1967.