Take cover... Historic England wades into pasty war

Cornish cry ‘sacrilege’ after claim that 1509 document shows pasties were invented in Devon

HISTORIC England waded into controversy yesterday after an executive suggested the Cornish pasty was actually invented in Devon. The organisation is running a campaign to highlight the birthplaces of great inventions, from trainers – Bolton – to the bungee jump – Bristol.

Celia Richardson, its director of communications, appeared on BBC Radio Devon to promote the campaign.

When asked to name inventions local to the area, she replied: “Controversially, I understand the Cornish pasty may have been invented in Devon.”

DJ Gordon Sparks said: “We love you, Celia. You can come again!” However, Rosewarne Manor, a restaurant in Hayle, Cornwall, tweeted: “Let’s get something straight. A Cornish pasty cannot, by definition, be made in Devon. Anyone ever heard of a Devon pasty catching on?”

Cornwall Live reported that people had called the claim “sacrilege”, saying: “This is not OK, Historic England. You will not take our pasties!”

Ms Richardson’s remark was based on a book by Dr Todd Gray, an Exeter University academic who claimed the pasty originated in Devon. He cited a document found at Plymouth and West Devon Record Office, dated 1509, which refers to a cook charging for “labour to make the pasties”. It is not until 236 years later, according to Dr Gray, that a written record appeared in Cornwall.

Ms Richardson said: “We want to know which parts of England people think have changed the world. This was always going to bring out the country’s competitive spirits – and nothing defines local character like food.”

There was uproar in 2009 when a pie maker from Devon was awarded the prize for the UK’S best Cornish pasty at the British Pie Awards.

Organisers later said they had omitted to include a disclaimer on the application form which stated all entries must be from Cornwall.

A similar debate rages between the two counties over cream teas, which David Cameron found to his cost when he visited a Devon café in 2015.

“In Devon, it’s jam first and cream on top?” he asked, before firmly being told that for Devonians it was the opposite.