Page 142 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - England's South Coast

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

8 Dartmouth
Devon. Map D6. * 5,000.
n Mayor’s Ave; 01803 834224.
∑ discoverdartmouth.com
The town of Dartmouth has long
been a vital naval port. English
fleets used to set sail from here
to join the Second and Third
Crusades. Sitting high on the hill
above the River Dart is the Royal
Naval College, where British naval
officers have trained since 1905.
The town’s medieval origins
can be seen in the hilly, stepped
alleyways around Browns Hill,
and in the 13th-century Church
of St Saviour, whose wooden
carved altar screen includes a
depiction of a pagan Green Man. Salcombe Bay, Devon's southernmost port, at the mouth of the Kingsbridge Estuary
Several 18th-century houses
adorn the cobbled quay of 9 Salcombe and Crew Clothing and Jack Wills.
Bayards Cove, while carved- the South Hams The small, volunteer-run
timber buildings line the 17th- Maritime Museum below
century Butterwalk, home to Devon. Map D6. * 1,900. 3 the tourist information centre
the Dartmouth Museum. To the Plymouth, Totnes. @ from Plymouth beautifully evokes Salcombe’s
south is the imposing Dartmouth and Totnes. 4 timetable from the past, with a collection of model
Castle, built in 1388 to protect information centre and at Ferry Pier. boats, nautical paraphernalia,
n Market St; 01548 843927.
Dartmouth from French attack. paintings, photographs and
∑ visitsouthdevon.co.uk
finds from the numerous ships
E Dartmouth Museum Magnificently set on a steep hill wrecked on the coast nearby.
The Butterwalk, Duke St. Tel 01803 at the mouth of the Kingsland
832923. Open Apr–Oct: 10am–4pm Estuary, Salcombe is Devon’s E Maritime Museum
Tue–Sat, 1–4pm Sun & Mon; Nov–Mar: most exclusive resort, with The Old Council Hall, Market St.
noon–3pm daily. Closed 1 Jan, 25 & 26 the most expensive seaside real Tel 01548 843080. Open Apr–Oct:
Dec. = ∑ dartmouthmuseum.org estate in the country. Once a 10:30am–12:30pm, 2:30–4:30pm
+ Dartmouth Castle humble port, where the main daily. Closed Nov–Mar. & 7
Castle Rd. Tel 01803 833588. Open industries were sail-making and ∑ salcombemuseum.org.uk
Apr–Oct: 10am–5pm daily; Nov–Mar: boat-building, it is now full of
10am–4pm Sat & Sun. Closed 1 Jan & high-end boutiques, delis and Environs
24–26 Dec. 7 limited. - = œ restaurants, and is the birthplace Salcombe is the perfect base
∑ english-heritage.org.uk of the yacht clothing chains for exploring the numerous
villages, beaches and coves
of the South Hams, an Area of
The Mayflower Outstanding Natural Beauty.
In August 1620, a group of Highlights include the quaint
40 English Protestants seeking fishing villages of Inner and
religious freedom joined a larger Outer Hope, Burgh Island and
group of economic migrants Kingsbridge, a town at the head
seeking a better life, and set of the estuary that is famous
sail from Southampton in two for its quayside farmers’ market
ships, the Mayflower and the (held on the first and third
Speedwell, bound for the east Saturday of each month). Also
coast of America. The Speedwell of interest at nearby Wigford
sprang a leak and both the Cross is the South Devon Chilli
ships pulled into Dartmouth for
repairs, sheltering in Bayard's Painting depicting the Mayflower in 1620 Farm, which grows around
Cove. The ships made another 200 varieties of chilli.
emergency stop at Plymouth before setting sail again on 6 September. There are two sheltered sandy
After the Speedwell sprang another leak and was forced to return, the beaches just a short walk south
Mayflower continued alone, with 102 passengers and about 30 crew of Salcombe. For those who
members. Two months later, the ship reached the New World. Although do not want to walk, there is a
the boat originally set out for Virginia, it landed in Cape Cod and the passenger ferry to South Sands,
pilgrims founded a colony there, which they named Plymouth. and both beaches have car
parks. Beaches on the far side
For hotels and restaurants in this region see p178 and pp189–90

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