Brixham is an historic, picturesque fishing port situated in The English Riviera of South Devon. Its long seafaring history was made famous on 5th November 1688 when Prince William of Orange landed in Brixham. The Dutch Prince later went on to be crowned King William III of England. In 1889, a year after the Bicentenary celebrations, a statue of William of Orange was erected on Brixham harbour side at a cost of £700.
The focal point of Brixham has to be the busy harbour. In 1804 a new jetty was built at Brixham but before long this was judged to be too small for the growing fleet of fishing boats and in 1843 a half-mile breakwater was designed by James Meadows Rendel. It provides protection for all manner of vessels from a heritage fleet of sailing trawlers to luxury yachts. Permanently moored at the quay side is a full sized replica of the Golden Hind, the ship that took Sir Frances Drake around the world between 1577 and 1580. In 1820 The British Army occupied forts on Berry Head, until about 1820. The fortress bears witness to the key role that this area played in the defence of the English coast. In 1850 the town had one of the largest fishery’s in England (270 vessels at sea and 1,600 seamen were employed). However, the First World War took it toll on both vessels and men and the industry faded so rapidly that by 1939 there were less than half a dozen fishing vessels remaining. The fish market, which Brixham is renowned for, dates from 1970. It was enlarged in 1986 to meet demands and in 2011 a new fish market was opened by HRH Princess Anne.
Brixham has a range of attractions running throughout the year with some special seasonal activities particulary during the summer period.
- Brixham Ghostwalk,Pirate Thursdays – Fun and Games,Saturday Craft Market,
- Battery Gardens,Berry Head National Nature Reserve,Napoleonic Fort,Open air Swimming Pool,Life Boat / Coastguard,Shoalstone Beach,Street Cafes & Shops Restraunts.
Churston is a small village located next door to Brixham and has a number of additional attractions suitable for all ages. These include:-
Go Carts, Golf Course, Regular Steam Fair, Sandy beaches of Broadsands,Quaywest Waterpark.
The Paignton and Dartmouth Steam Railway runs through Churston Station with steam trains running for seven miles along the traditional Great Western line of the spectacular Torbay coast including Paignton, Goodrington, Churston and through the wooded slopes bordering the Dart estuary to Kingswear. Superb scenery with seascapes right across Lyme Bay to Portland Bill on clear days. Approaching Kingswear is the beautiful River Dart and on the far side, the ‘olde worlde’ town of Dartmouth home to the famous Britannia Royal Naval College, Bayard’s Cove and Dartmouth Castle.
PaigntonHome to the now world famous Paignton Zoo!! Paignton is a small town situated in the middle of Torbay between Torquay and Brixham. It has many additional facilities and attractions that a typical seaside holiday resort would offer.
The Sea Front has a generous green which is a regular home to many events including fun fairs, donkey rides and the now annual BMAD (Bikers Make A Difference) charity event. A new Pirate themed crazy golf course was completed in 2007 and the sea front also includes a Pier, multiscreen cinema, harbour and in 2012 a new Geo Play Park was built and has been designed around the English Riviera’s geological history.
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 Seaside Award
and been recommended by the Good Beach Guide. There’s disabled access with adjoining parking
facilities, meaning everyone can enjoy it.
Breakwater Beach is a particular favourite for scuba diving. There are a number of dive schools throughout the area and with some of the warmest and calmest waters in the country, this is the place to learn to scuba and get your open water certificate. Expect to see rare seagrass beds, seahorses, fish and even the odd shipwreck.
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