Discover 11 hidden attractions, cool sights, and unusual things to do in Dartmouth (United Kingdom). Don't miss out on these must-see attractions: Greenway House, Woodlands Family Theme Park, and Dartmouth Museum. Also, be sure to include Bayard's Cove Fort in your itinerary.
Below, you can find the list of the most amazing places you should visit in Dartmouth (England).
Table of Contents
Greenway House
Greenway, also known as Greenway House, is an estate on the River Dart near Galmpton in Devon, England. Once the home of the author Agatha Christie, it is now owned by the National Trust.
The estate is served by a steam railway service with trains from Paignton and Kingswear stopping at Greenway Halt station.[1]
Address: Greenway Road, TQ5 0ES Dartmouth
Woodlands Family Theme Park
Amusement park in England. Woodlands Family Theme Park is an all-weather family amusement park and falconry display on the A3122 road, 5 miles from Dartmouth, in South Devon, England. It is part of Bendalls Leisure Ltd which also owns Twinlakes Theme Park and Wheelgate Park.
Set in Devon’s most beautiful countryside Woodlands has over 90 acres (36 ha) of family attractions including 16 rides, as well as around 500 animals. The falconry display has over 50 birds of prey. During the October half term the park hosts a Halloscream Week.
Designed by the Bendall family there are extensive play zones throughout the Park, each having a selection of rides and attractions enabling all the family to play together or enjoy play equipment designed to the guest’s abilities. The massive indoor playcentres at Woodlands are essential for guests to enjoy the highest standard of venture equipment, soft play and rides whatever the weather conditions.[2]
Address: Woodlands Leisure Park, Blackawton, Dartmouth
Dartmouth Museum
Museum in Dartmouth, England. Dartmouth Museum is a local museum in Dartmouth, Devon, which displays and chronicles the history of the port of Dartmouth. It moved to its current location in the 1950s and is housed in a merchant's house which, in 1671, entertained Charles II and where he held court during a storm which forced him to stay in the port. The museum is run by the Dartmouth Museum Association, a registered charity.
The museum was refurbished during the winters of 2010 and 2011 and has a large collection of models of sailing ships, and of ships in bottles. The latter is referred to as the Dawe Collection. The museum building itself is part of the exhibition which includes local records and photographs, and a plaster ceiling believed to be unique showing the Tree of Jesse. The museum also houses the Henley Collection, a collection of artefacts and scientific material collected by William Henley (1860-1919), all of which were previously part of a separate museum on Dartmouth's Anzac Street.
The entrance to the museum is in Dartmouth's Butterwalk, via a spiral staircase built counterclockwise around a ship's mast.[3]
Address: Duke St, TQ6 9PZ Dartmouth
Bayard's Cove Fort
Fortress in Dartmouth, England. Bayard's Cove Fort, also known historically as Berescove or Bearscore Castle, is an English 16th-century artillery blockhouse, built to defend the harbour entrance at Dartmouth in Devon. Constructed in the early part of the century, it had eleven gunports for heavy artillery and was intended to engage enemy vessels that broke past the external defences of the Dartmouth and Kingswear castles. It remained armed during the English Civil War, but was neglected in the 18th century and used for storage. The fort was restored in the late 19th century and is now managed by English Heritage and open to visitors.[4]
Address: Bayard's Cove, Dartmouth
Coleton Fishacre
Charity in Kingswear, England. Coleton Fishacre is a property consisting of a 24-acre garden and a house in the Arts and Crafts style, near Kingswear in Devon, England. The property has been in the ownership of the National Trust since 1982.[5]
Address: Brownstone Road, TQ6 0EQ Dartmouth
Church of St Thomas of Canterbury
Building in Kingswear, England. The Church of St Thomas of Canterbury is situated in the village of Kingswear in the English county of Devon, it stands in a slightly elevated position at the junction of Higher Street and Church Hill close to the railway station and the Dartmouth Lower Ferry and overlooks the River Dart. The church is a grade II listed building.[6]
Address: Church Hill, TQ6 0BX Dartmouth
Thomas Newcomen Engine
The Newcomen Memorial Engine is a preserved beam engine in Dartmouth, Devon. It was preserved as a memorial to Thomas Newcomen, inventor of the beam engine, who was born in Dartmouth.
The engine is the world's oldest surviving steam engine.[7]
Address: The Engine House Mayors Avenue, TQ6 9YY Dartmouth
Dartmouth Harbour
Dartmouth Harbour is a natural port located in Dartmouth, Devon, England. It is situated at the mouth of the River Dart on the English Channel. Bayard's Cove Fort is a small fort, which was built to defend the harbour's entrance. The crafts which dock at the port are mainly local fishing vessels, naval ships and luxury yachts; warships routinely visit the harbour. The River Dart is navigable from Dartmouth to the old weir location at Totnes.[8]
Address: DHNA, 6 Oxford St, TQ6 9AL Dartmouth
Darthaven Marina
Sailing, Park, Marina
Address: Darthaven Marina Brixham Road, TQ6 0SG Dartmouth
Dartmouth Castle
14th-century fortress with estuary views. Dartmouth Castle is an artillery fort, built to protect Dartmouth harbour in Devon, England. The earliest parts of the castle date from the 1380s, when, in response to the threat of a French attack, the civic authorities created a small enclosure castle overlooking the mouth of the Dart estuary. This was intended to engage enemy ships with catapults and possibly early cannon, and incorporated the local chapel of Saint Petroc within its walls. At the end of the 15th century, the castle was expanded with an artillery tower and an iron chain which could be stretched across the harbour to a tower at Godmerock; this addition formed the oldest known purpose-built coast artillery fort in Britain. Further gun batteries were added during the French invasion scare of the 1540s.
The castle saw service during the English Civil War of 1642 to 1646, during which its vulnerability to attack from the land became apparent, resulting in the Gallants Bower defensive work above it being used to provide additional protection. In 1748, a new gun position called the Grand Battery was added to the castle, equipped with twelve guns. After years of neglect in the early 19th century, the castle was upgraded in 1859 with modern artillery, but defending the port of Dartmouth was no longer a military priority. By the early years of the 20th century the castle was considered redundant by the authorities, who opened it to visitors. It was brought back into use during the Second World War, but in 1955 it was finally retired from service. In the 21st century, it is managed by English Heritage and the castle received 37,940 visitors in 2007.[9]
Address: Dartmouth Castle Castle Road, TQ6 0JN Dartmouth
St Saviour's Church
Church
Address: Anzac St, TQ6 9DL Dartmouth