Colyton is a community in Devon, England. It is located within the East Devon regional authority location. It is 3 miles (4.8 kilometres) from Seaton as well as 6 miles (9.7 km) from Axminster. Its population in 1991 was 2,783, reducing to 2,105 at the 2011 Census. Colyton is a major part of the Coly Valley electoral ward. The ward populace at the above demographics was 4,493. Colyton first appeared as an old town around 700 AD as well as attributes in the Domesday Book as 'Culitone'. The 3rd code of law of King Edmund I was provided at Colyton in around 945. This assisted to maintain feudal society, by stating plainly its 4 columns: royalty, lordship, family members, as well as area. It turned into a crucial farming centre as well as market community with a corn mill, saw mill, iron factory as well as an oak bark tannery that is still functioning. Located 0.5 miles (0.8 km) to the north of the town was Colcombe Castle, now demolished, a previous seat of the Courtenay family members, Earls of Devon. Adhering to the attainder of the Marquis of Exeter the Courtenay lands escheated to the Crown, as well as those within Colyton were marketed back for £1,000 to various locals of Colyton parish, as noted in an action transcribed in the Letters and Papers of Henry VIII dated 6 January 1547, summed up as "John Clarke and others. Grant in cost-free socage, based on rents etc. (specified), for l,000 l, of the adhering to 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 beginning of the Feoffees of Colyton, that remained to keep in typical various residential properties in the parish. The community has been called "the most defiant community in Devon" due to the variety of its occupants who signed up with the Monmouth Rebellion in 1685.