{{Short description|Hamlet in Devon, England}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}} {{Use British English|date=June 2025}} {{Infobox UK place |static_image_name= MeldonViaduct.jpg |static_image_width= 240 |static_image_caption= Meldon Viaduct from the quarry road |coordinates = {{coord|50.7|-4.05|display=inline,title}} |country = England |official_name= Meldon |population = |population_ref = |civil_parish= Okehampton Hamlets |shire_district= West Devon |shire_county = Devon |region= South West England |os_grid_reference = SX5592 |dial_code= 01837 |post_town= OKEHAMPTON |postcode_district= EX20 |postcode_area= EX |constituency_westminster= Torridge and West Devon }}
'''Meldon''' is a hamlet in West Devon, on the edge of Dartmoor in Devon, England.<ref name=OS191>{{cite map |title=Ordnance Survey: Landranger map sheet 191 ''Okehampton & North Dartmoor (Crediton & Bovey Tracey)'' |ISBN=9780319231821 |publisher=Ordnance Survey |date=2013 }}</ref> It is 4 km south-west of Okehampton. Its main features are the Meldon Quarry and Meldon Reservoir and the nearby Meldon Viaduct.
==Quarries== Granite is still extracted from Meldon Quarry. The now disused Meldon Aplite Quarry has been designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest because of its exposures of aplite and other rocks.
The Dartmoor Railway terminates at Meldon Quarry; the former continuation of the line to Tavistock and Plymouth continues as a cycle path. The former railway line crosses the West Okement River on the Meldon Viaduct just before reaching the quarry from the west.
==Reservoir== {{main|Meldon Reservoir}} The Meldon Reservoir was formed by damming the West Okement River. It is about 1.2 km long and 300 metres wide, and extends from the West Okement valley into a small side valley.
==Firing range== Immediately to the south-east is the area of the Okehampton military firing range, which is sometimes closed to the public. At other times, a footpath along the west side of the reservoir can be used to access the open moor.
==Civil parish== In 1850, the civil parish of Oakhampton, or Okehampton, consisted of {{convert|9552|acre|km2}} of land, which encompassed several villages including Meldon. The hamlet is now part of the civil parish of Okehampton Hamlets.<ref name=OSelec>{{cite web|url=https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/election-maps/gb/# |title=Ordnance Survey Election Maps |website=www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk |publisher=Ordnance Survey |accessdate=3 April 2016 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160220103943/https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/election-maps/gb/ |archivedate=20 February 2016 }}</ref>
== See also == * Rail trail
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == {{Commons category|Meldon, Devon}} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20070510024326/http://www.devon.gov.uk/etched?url=etched%2Fixbin%2Fhixclient.exe&_IXP_=1&_IXR=110598 Meldon Community Page] * [http://genuki.cs.ncl.ac.uk/DEV/Okehampton/Okehampton1850.html GENUKI/Devon: Okehampton 1850] * [http://www.stepping-stones.co.uk/htdocs/SendFile.cfm?File=1841-Devonshire/index.htm Devonshire 1841]{{dead link|date=January 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
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Category:Villages in Devon Category:Geology of Devon
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