Kingsbridge, Devon
Kingsbridge in the south of the county is a market town situated at the end of the Kingsbridge estuary, a flooded river valley surrounded by green, rolling countryside. At the head of estuary is the quay where sailing ships were moored, bringing goods and cargo to the town.
Loam Castle at Thurlestone, Devon. © Philip Halling licensed for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 license.
The County of Devon in the Southwest has always been a favourite holiday destination since Victorian times. It offers wonderful sea views from the rugged cliffs along the north and south coastlines, together with many coves and sandy beaches.
From there a bustling High Street leads up the steep hill to the church with the pointed spire at the top. The town retains many 18th and 19th century buildings, including the Shambles, or market arcade, which was rebuilt in 1796, keeping the 16th century granite piers.
Anchor Hotel and Ship & Plough Hotel, Kingsbridge c. 1890
Kingsbridge harbour c.1890
The former Grammar school, now the town museum, was founded and built by Thomas Crispin in 1670. William Cookworthy (1705-1780), the discoverer of English China clay and the producer of English porcelain, was also born in the town.
In the early 20th century, Kingsbridge could boast an iron works, cottage hospital, British school, and a cinema. Garages were built to service the growing number of automobiles, some situated at the quayside together with an ironmonger.
A station was built in the 19th century to serve a branch line between Kingsbridge and Brent on the mainline between Plymouth and Exeter, thereby linking the town to other destinations. This is now closed, leaving little evidence of its existence.
Kingsbridge Station 1958. © Ben Brooksbank and is licensed for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 license.
