A Brief Cultural and Historical Guide to Paignton in Devon
The seaside town Paignton dates back to the historic Celtic period as a settlement and is even mentioned in the Doomsday book of AD 1066.
It was originally a fishing village, but it was in the Victorian era when this delightful coastal town rose to national prominence as a holiday destination.
Paignton is part of the wider area known as the English Riviera, which gets its name from the continental feel of this esteemed holiday resort region and popular area for tourists.
Once the Victorian period came along, so did the arrival of the steam train and the industrial revolution.
This then made travelling more accessible to a wider audience and especially to the working class factory workers who were looking for different places to spend their holidays.
The town of Paignton sits between the popular towns of Torquay to the east and Brixham to the west.
Paignton offers a similar holiday experience to Torquay, although on a slightly smaller scale to its larger neighbour; that said, nothing can detract from Paignton's beauty and what it has to offer.
The town has a lovely beach with golden sand, which is within a short walking distance of the town centre and is ideal for families with small children.
There is plenty to do and see throughout the year: there are some lovely walks along the coastline with beautiful scenery, as well as cycle paths and tracks if you want to extend your range of things to experience.
In the town there are a wide range of café's, bistros, and restaurants for refreshments and dining.
For entertainment there is the local theatre and cinema, and for children there is Paignton Zoo, which is one of the UK's most famous, and boasts a range of rare animals set within 80 acres.
The zoo has a long history of education, assisting in scientific research and practical conservation work.
Another must see experience is the Paignton & Dartmouth Steam Railway, which you can access from the train station at Paignton.
The railway is run by the Dart Valley Steam Railway and has been in operation for many years, taking visitors along the beautiful journey between Paignton and Kingswear.
This train journey offers excellent views and local stops along the way.
Many of the visitors who come to this beautiful seaside location also want to visit the home of one of Paignton's most famous residents, the world-renowned crime writer Agatha Christie.
Christie was born in Torquay and grew up in the area as a child.
Later in life, when she married her second husband, they both decided to purchase a property in Paignton, as they wanted to spend more time together and less in busy London.
Today, visitors can visit Agatha's Greenway house and estate which sits on the outskirts of Paignton and overlooks the Dart river.
Greenway offers visitors a special glimpse of this beautifully kept house with a selection of her personal belongings and the chance to view where Agatha wrote some of her most famous crime novels.
It was originally a fishing village, but it was in the Victorian era when this delightful coastal town rose to national prominence as a holiday destination.
Paignton is part of the wider area known as the English Riviera, which gets its name from the continental feel of this esteemed holiday resort region and popular area for tourists.
Once the Victorian period came along, so did the arrival of the steam train and the industrial revolution.
This then made travelling more accessible to a wider audience and especially to the working class factory workers who were looking for different places to spend their holidays.
The town of Paignton sits between the popular towns of Torquay to the east and Brixham to the west.
Paignton offers a similar holiday experience to Torquay, although on a slightly smaller scale to its larger neighbour; that said, nothing can detract from Paignton's beauty and what it has to offer.
The town has a lovely beach with golden sand, which is within a short walking distance of the town centre and is ideal for families with small children.
There is plenty to do and see throughout the year: there are some lovely walks along the coastline with beautiful scenery, as well as cycle paths and tracks if you want to extend your range of things to experience.
In the town there are a wide range of café's, bistros, and restaurants for refreshments and dining.
For entertainment there is the local theatre and cinema, and for children there is Paignton Zoo, which is one of the UK's most famous, and boasts a range of rare animals set within 80 acres.
The zoo has a long history of education, assisting in scientific research and practical conservation work.
Another must see experience is the Paignton & Dartmouth Steam Railway, which you can access from the train station at Paignton.
The railway is run by the Dart Valley Steam Railway and has been in operation for many years, taking visitors along the beautiful journey between Paignton and Kingswear.
This train journey offers excellent views and local stops along the way.
Many of the visitors who come to this beautiful seaside location also want to visit the home of one of Paignton's most famous residents, the world-renowned crime writer Agatha Christie.
Christie was born in Torquay and grew up in the area as a child.
Later in life, when she married her second husband, they both decided to purchase a property in Paignton, as they wanted to spend more time together and less in busy London.
Today, visitors can visit Agatha's Greenway house and estate which sits on the outskirts of Paignton and overlooks the Dart river.
Greenway offers visitors a special glimpse of this beautifully kept house with a selection of her personal belongings and the chance to view where Agatha wrote some of her most famous crime novels.
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