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.