Budleigh Salterton is located within East Devon local authority area. Historically it formed part of East Budleigh Hundred. It falls within Aylesbere Deanery for ecclesiastical purposes. The Deaneries are used to arrange the typescript Church Notes of B.F.Cresswell which are held in the Westcountry Studies Library. The population was 1014 in 1801 2653 in 1901 4725 in 1991. Figures for other years are available on the local studies website. Separated from East Budleigh in 1894.

A parish history file is held in Budleigh Salterton Library. You can look for other material on the community by using the place search on the main local studies database. Further historical information is also available on the Genuki website.

Maps: The image below is of the Budleigh Salterton area on Donn's one inch to the mile survey of 1765.

On the County Series Ordnance Survey mapping the area is to be found on 1:2,500 sheet 103/4 Six inch (1:10560) sheet 103NE
The National Grid reference for the centre of the area is SY065820. On the post 1945 National Grid Ordnance Survey mapping the sheets are: 1:10,000 (six inch to a mile: sheet SY08SE, 1:25,000 mapping: sheet Explorer 030, Landranger (1:50,000) mapping: sheet 192. Geological sheet 339 also covers the area.

Illustrations: The image below is of Budleigh Salterton as included in the Library's Etched on Devon's memory website. Other images can be searched for on the local studies catalogue.

Extract from Devon by W.G.Hoskins (1954), included by kind permission of the copyright holder:

BUDLEIGH SALTERTON an attractive seaside town, has grown up almost entirely since the beginning of the 19th century as a watering-place. Since its beach is of pebbles, it has not attracted day visitors or family holiday-makers to anything like the extent of Exmouth, and has therefore remained small and residential.

Nevertheless, it has a long history. It is first mentioned in 1210 as Saltre, and as Salterne in 1405, its name being derived from the salterns or salt-pans which existed here by the mouth of the Otter at an early date.

It began to attract visitors during the Napoleonic Wars, among them James Lackington, the well-known London Bookseller, who erected a chapel in the main street in 1811, known as The Temple, and later the Wesleyan Chapel. This was unfortunately replaced in 1905. The town grew more rapidly after the peace of 1815: Lysons speaks of Budleigh as much frequented of late years in the summer season. It is now increasingly favoured by retired persons, especially by old ladies. The town is very warm and sheltered, with myrtles growing freely. A number of attractive houses and cottages of the late Georgian and Regency period remain. The church (St. Peter) was built in 1893. Sir John Millias lived for a time at "The Octagon", at the west end of the parade, and painted here the famous picture "The Boyhood of Raleigh" which was exhibited at the academy of 1870.

From West Down Beacon (400ft) one gets a magnificent seascape over Lyme Bay, extending on some days from Portland Bill to Berry Head.