In 1850 Colyton was described as a small market town, built chiefly of flint, on the western side of the small river Coly, about 3 miles north of the English Channel, 5 miles S.W. of Axminster, and 22 miles E. by N. of Exeter. Its parish increased its population from 1641 in 1801, to 2451 souls in 1841; and comprises about 8000 acres of fertile land, including the hamlets of Purlbridge, and Colyford, and many scattered houses. It has a paper mill, a tannery, a brewery, a small foundry, and three corn mills, and formerly had a share of the woollen manufacture.