Colyton is a town in Devon, England. It lies within the East Devon regional authority area. It is 3 miles (4.8 kilometres) from Seaton and 6 miles (9.7 km) from Axminster. Its population in 1991 was 2,783, decreasing to 2,105 at the 2011 Census. Colyton is a huge part of the Coly Valley electoral ward. The ward population at the above demographics was 4,493. Colyton initially looked like an ancient village around 700 AD and attributes in the Domesday Book as 'Culitone'. The 3rd code of law of King Edmund I was released at Colyton in around 945. This assisted to stabilize feudal society, by stating clearly its 4 columns: royalty, lordship, family, and also area. It grew into a vital agricultural centre and also market town with a corn mill, saw mill, iron foundry and also an oak bark tannery that is still working. Situated 0.5 miles (0.8 kilometres) to the north of the community was Colcombe Castle, currently destroyed, a former seat of the Courtenay family members, Earls of Devon. Complying with the attainder of the Marquis of Exeter the Courtenay lands escheated to the Crown, and those within Colyton were sold back for £1,000 to numerous residents of Colyton parish, as listed in an action recorded in the Letters as well as Documents of Henry VIII dated 6 January 1547, summed up as "John Clarke and others. Grant in free socage, subject to leas etc. (specified), for l,000 l, of the following lands (degrees offered) in the church of Colyton, which are parcels of Colyton manor, Devon, as well as belonged to Henry Marquis of Exeter, attainted". This was the origin of the Feoffees of Colyton, that remained to hold in usual various properties in the parish. The town has been called "one of the most defiant community in Devon" as a result of the variety of its citizens who joined the Monmouth Rebellion in 1685.