Page 140 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - England's South Coast

138  ENGLAND ’ S SOUTH C O AST REGION B Y REGION

3 Torquay
Devon. Map D5. * 65,000. 3 @
Lymington Rd. n English Riviera
Tourism Company, 5 Vaughan Parade;
01803 211211. ∑ englishriviera.co.uk
This town has been popular since
the 1850s. The opening of the
railway in the 1840s saw droves of
Victorians arriving. The wealthiest
built Italianate villas, which can
still be seen today. Torquay’s
most famous resident was crime Children dressed in 16th-century costumes exploring the Totnes Elizabethan Museum
writer Agatha Christie, and the
garden of Torre Abbey has a 4 Tor Bay 5 Totnes
Potent Plants collection inspired Devon. Map D5. * 49,000 (Paignton), Devon. Map D5. * 8,000. 3 @
by the poisons in her books. The 17,000 (Brixham). 3 Paignton. @ 4 to Dartmouth. ( Fri & Sat
Torquay Museum also has a Dartmouth Rd, Paignton and Brixham (also Tue in summer).
room evoking her life in the town. Town Sq. ∑ englishriviera.co.uk ∑ englishriviera.co.uk
The marina has a pedestrian
bridge that links to the Living The seaside towns of Paignton One of the most ecologically
Coasts, a coastal zoo. About 2 km and Brixham merge with Torquay minded towns in the UK,
(1 mile) to the east, Kents Cavern to form an almost continuous vibrant Totnes is committed to
is a significant prehistoric site. resort around the great sweep sustainable food, energy and
Stone Age living is now brought of Tor Bay. Due to its mild climate, buildings. It is set at the highest
to life here with guided tours. semitropical gardens and navigable point on the River
Victorian hotel architecture, Dart, with the Norman Totnes
P Torre Abbey this coastline has been dubbed Castle perched high on the hill
King’s Dr. Tel 01803 293593. Open the English Riviera. Today, there above. Linking the two is the
Mar–May & Oct–Dec: 10am–5pm are plenty of sights, including steep High Street, lined with
Wed–Sun; Jun–Sep: 10am–5pm daily. Babbacombe Model Village, bow-windowed Elizabethan
Closed 24–26 Dec & Jan–Feb. & 7 the Tudor village of Cockington, houses and lots of independent
- = ∑ torre-abbey.org.uk and Paignton Zoo, from where a shops. Bridging the street is the
steam railway runs to Dartmouth. Eastgate, part of the medieval
E Torquay Museum
529 Babbacombe Rd. Tel 01803 town wall. Life in the town’s
293975. Open 10am–4pm Mon–Sat E Babbacombe Model Village heyday is explored in the Totnes
(also Sun in summer). 7 - = Hampton Ave, Torquay. Tel 01803 Elizabethan Museum, which
∑ torquaymuseum.org 315315. Open mid-Mar–Jul & Sep– also has a room devoted to
Oct: 10am–4pm daily (to 8pm Thu); the renowned mathematician
O Living Coasts Aug: 10am–9pm daily; Nov–mid-Mar: Charles Babbage (1791–1871),
Torquay Harbourside, Beacon Hill. Tel 10am–3pm daily. Closed 25 Dec. who is regarded as the pioneer
01803 202470. Open 10am–4pm daily. & 7 limited. - = of modern computers. Nearby is
& 7 - = ∑ livingcoasts.org.uk ∑ model-village.co.uk the Guildhall and a church with
T Kents Cavern O Paignton Zoo a delicately carved and gilded
91 Ilsham Rd. Tel 01803 215136. Open Totnes Rd, Paignton. Tel 01803 697500. rood screen. On Tuesdays in the
Apr–Oct: 9:30am–4pm; Nov–Mar: Open 10am–4:30pm daily (Apr–Oct: to summer, market stallholders
10am–3:30pm. Closed 25 Dec. & 8 5pm). Closed 25 Dec. & 7 0 - dress in Elizabethan costume.
- = ∑ kents-cavern.co.uk = ∑ paigntonzoo.org.uk
+ Totnes Castle
Castle St. Tel 01803 864406.
Agatha Christie (1890–1976) Open Apr–Sep: 10am–6pm daily;
The best-selling author of all time, Agatha Oct: 10am–5pm daily; Nov–Mar:
Christie spent much of her childhood in Torquay, 10am–4pm Sat & Sun. Closed 24–
and later bought a home near Dittisham. 26 Dec & 1 Jan. & 7 limited. =
Her first novel, The Mysterious Affair at Styles, œ ∑ english-heritage.org.uk
featuring the detective Hercule Poirot, was E Totnes Elizabethan Museum
published in 1920. Poirot’s character was 70 Fore St. Tel 01803 863821.
inspired by Belgian refugees living in Torquay Open mid-Mar–Sep: 10am–4pm Tue–
after the invasion of Belgium during World Fri. & ∑ totnesmuseum.org
War I. Several attractions in Torquay celebrate
the author, including the Agatha Christie P Guildhall
Mile, which explores her connections with 5 Ramparts Walk. Tel 01803 862147.
the town, and the Agatha Christie Trail, which Open 11am–3pm Mon–Fri.
traces some of the locations of her novels. Plaque, Agatha Christie Mile Closed public hols. ∑ totnestown
council.gov.uk
For hotels and restaurants in this region see p178 and pp189–90

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