Archaeological evidence reveals an ancient site with a nearby Roman fort north of Tiverton.
The town’s name is conjectured to derive from “Twy-ford-ton” or “Twyverton”, meaning “the town on two fords”, and was historically referred to as “Twyford”. Tiverton stands at the confluence of the rivers Exe and Lowman. Human occupation in the area dates back to the Stone Age, with many flint tools found in the area. An Iron Age hill fort, Cranmore Castle stands at the top of Exeter Hill above the town, and a Roman fort, or rather marching camp was discovered on the hillside below Knightshayes Court near Bolham, just to the north of the town. This indicates the presence of soldiers and settlers from outside of Britain early in Tiverton’s history.