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History & Heritage

The beautiful English Riviera has a fascinating history and is a very exciting location for the heritage enthusiast.

Torre Abbey and the Spanish Barn

Wonderful Torre Abbey on Torquay’s seafront is over 800 years old; you can visit its fine gatehouse, abbot’s tower and undercrofts as well as its beautiful works of art. The Abbey’s adjacent Spanish Barn was famously used to house prisoners captured from the Spanish Armada.

Torquay, Paignton & Brixham in the Napoleonic Wars

During the Napoleonic Wars the rich elite could no longer visit continental Europe and turned their attention to the warm, sheltered waters of the English Riviera. Brixham’s Berry Head National Nature Reserve still has well preserved Napoleonic forts from this period when it stood as an impressive guardian at the southern entrance to the Bay. The views here are quite spectacular with the sea on three sides.

Torquay - An Elegant Winter Resort

Torquay developed as an all year round holiday and health resort in the 19th century due to its mild winter climate and clean sea air. In 1833 Princess Victoria visited Torquay for the first time and Victoria Parade was named in honour of the place where she first stepped ashore. In the early 20th century Torquay changed from being simply a winter resort and became a popular summer destination attracting people from far and wide.

Torquay and Brixham in WWII

Early in 1944, the first of thousands of US Army personnel arrived in Torquay preparing for the buildup of forces in Southern England that would ultimately result in the launch of Operation Overlord, the springboard for the Allied invasion of German-occupied Western Europe. The two concrete slipways at Beacon Quay in Torquay Harbour were constructed for the embarkation of American troops. The outer harbour slipway at Brixham was also used for this purpose. The US Coastguard requisitioned Agatha Christie’s legendary holiday home Greenway (now National Trust) near Brixham leaving a now-famous mural behind as evidence of their visit.

Torquay and Brixham – Historic Sailing

Sailing and yachting have a long and illustrious history here on Devon’s glorious English Riviera with big international racing events and a host of championships talking place every year. Torbay Royal Regatta was the very first yachting regatta in the country to gain royal patronage. It celebrated its 200th Anniversary in 2013 and is still hugely popular every August. In 1948 Olympic sailing events took place in Tor Bay.

Famous People Who Stayed

You can find over 50 blue plaques highlighting some of the Bay’s most well known former residents and visitors. Famous authors include Flora Thompson, author of the Lark Rise to Candleford trilogy, Charles Kingsley, who penned the Water Babies plus Rudyard Kipling and poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning who came for the resort’s famous sea air. One of the country’s best loved and most popular hymns Abide With Me was written at the Berry Head Hotel in Brixham by the Reverend Henry Lyte and Charles Darwin stayed in Torquay. Engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel has a long association with the area with four blue plaques celebrating his life and local links. Scientist Oliver Heaviside, renowned in the field of electromagnetic theory, is recognised in Paignton. Paignton was also the home of sewing machine magnate Isaac Singer, at Oldway Mansion. There’s a plaque to Oscar Wilde at Babbacombe Cliff where he stayed whilst writing some of his famous works. Renowned architect Edwin Lutyens designed the Drum Inn at Cockington and there is a plaque on the door in his memory.

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Livermead Beach

Address

Torquay, Devon, TQ2 6RQ

Telephone
01803 207975

beaches@torbay.gov.uk

Torquay

Dates

Livermead Beach - Good access for water sports. Swimming not allowed in the water ski lane. No sand at high tide.

Type

Type:

Beach
Establishment Features

Dogs-Accepted
More Details
Roundham Head

Address

Cliff Road, Paignton, Devon, TQ4 6DH

Paignton

Roundham Head, Paignton, Devon is at the top of the cliff with beautiful parkland and spectacular views out to sea all round – see if you can spot the charming Spitfire Garden.
Suggested Walk - Roundham Head - 0.9 miles (1.4 km) - North Quay,…

Type

Type:

Historic Garden

More Details
Dates

From:

1 Jan 2026to31 Dec 2026

St Mary the Virgin

Address

Fore Street/Church Road, St. Marychurch, Torquay, Devon, TQ1 4QY

Telephone
01803 914771

A-O.StMary@outlook.com

Torquay

Dates

From:

1 Jan 2026to31 Dec 2026

Welcome to St Mary’s! We are an ancient place of worship dating back over 1,000 years to when Monks first brought Christianity here, holding religious meetings out in the open around the base of a cross which existed in the church yard until about…

Type

Type:

Church/Chapel

More Details

Visit Website

Web Site
Dates

From:

1 Jan 2026to31 Dec 2026
Breakwater Beach

Address

Brixham, Devon, TQ5 9AF

Telephone
01803 857593

harbour.authority@torbay.gov.uk

Brixham

Dates

From:

1 Jan 2026to31 Dec 2026

Close to the mouth of Brixham harbour is Breakwater Beach, one of the cleanest beaches on the
English Riviera, South Devon’s beautiful bay. Not only is it a Blue Flag beach, but it has a Combined Seaside (resort) Award
and been recommended by the…

Type

Type:

Beach
Parking & Transport

Parking On Site
More Details

Visit Website

Web Site
Dates

From:

1 Jan 2026to31 Dec 2026

Woodlands at Berry Head Nature Reserve

Address

Gillard Road, Brixham, Devon, TQ5 9AP

Telephone
01803 882619

berryhead@countryside-trust.org.uk

Brixham

Dates

From:

1 Jan 2026to31 Dec 2026

You may be surprised to know there are woodlands on this well-known headland - almost 20 acres of it! With large footpaths and good visibility between trees, the woods at Berry Head Nature Reserve is an ideal place to allow young children and dogs…

Type

Type:

Parkland/Woodland Garden

More Details

Visit Website

Web Site
Dates

From:

1 Jan 2026to31 Dec 2026

Heritage Sailing Experience - Pilgrim Heritage Sailing

Address

Heritage Pontoon, Brixham Harbour, Berry Head Road, Brixham, Devon, TQ5 9BW

Telephone
01803 858148

info@pilgrimofbrixham.co.uk

Berry Head Road, Brixham

Dates

From:

1 Jan 2026to31 Dec 2026

Pilgrim of Brixham Adventure Sailing is provided by the Pilgrim Heritage Sailing Foundation which is a registered charity and operates from the historic Brixham Harbour in Devon, UK. We sail Pilgrim along the Devon and Cornwall coast, the Isles of…

Type

Type:

Maritime

More Details

Visit Website

Web Site
Dates

From:

1 Jan 2026to31 Dec 2026

South West Coast Path

Address

English Riviera, Devon, TQ2 5JG

hello@southwestcoastpath.org.uk

Dates

From:

1 Jan 2026to31 Dec 2026

The English Riviera has 22 miles of coastline and a UNESCO Global Geopark, all of which can be discovered on the South West Coast Path, which runs along South Devon's beautiful bay between Maidencombe in the north and Sharkham Point in the south.

Type

Type:

Waymarked Trail

More Details

Visit Website

Web Site
Dates

From:

1 Jan 2026to31 Dec 2026
Cockington Court

Address

Cockington Court, Torquay, Devon, TQ2 6XA

Telephone
01803 607230

Torquay

Dates

From:

1 Jan 2026to31 Dec 2026

At the heart of Cockington Village lies Cockington Court, a manor house with roots into history, surrounded by acres of stunning country park. Today, the court prides itself in being a centre of creativity.
Providing a vibrant events programme and…

Type

Type:

Arts Centre
Key Features

Groups
Parking & Transport

Parking On Site
More Details

Visit Website

Web Site
Dates

From:

1 Jan 2026to31 Dec 2026
Elberry Cove

Address

Brixham, Devon, TQ3 6LE

Telephone
01803 207975

beaches@torbay.gov.uk

Brixham

Dates

From:

1 Jan 2026to31 Dec 2026

Elberry Cove is a romantic impressive shingle beach with beautiful cystal blue clear waters a little gem in English Riveria, which is reached by a footpath from Broadsands beach. This is a beautiful beach in an idyllic rural setting.

Type

Type:

Beach
Establishment Features

Dogs-Accepted
More Details

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History & Heritage

Torre Abbey and the Spanish Barn

Torquay, Paignton & Brixham in the Napoleonic Wars

Torquay - An Elegant Winter Resort

Torquay and Brixham in WWII

Torquay and Brixham – Historic Sailing

Famous People Who Stayed

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