Dartmouth, Devon facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Dartmouth
Dartmouth from the River Dart
Dartmouth
Population	5,064 (2011)
OS grid reference	SX877514
Civil parish	Dartmouth
District	South Hams
Shire county	Devon
Region	South West
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	DARTMOUTH
Postcode district	TQ6
Dialling code	01803
Police	Devon and Cornwall
Fire	Devon and Somerset
Ambulance	South Western
EU Parliament	South West England
UK Parliament	South Devon
List of places UK England Devon 50°21′04″N 3°34′44″W / 50.351°N 3.579°W / 50.351; -3.579

Dartmouth is a historic town and civil parish in the English county of Devon. It's a popular place for visitors, located on the western side of the River Dart. The river here is a long, narrow tidal inlet that stretches inland to Totnes. Dartmouth is part of the beautiful South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. In 2011, about 5,064 people lived there.

Dartmouth's Story: A Look Back in Time

Early Days and Port Life

Back in 1086, a very old book called the Domesday Book mentioned a settlement called Dunestal where Dartmouth is now. It was a farming village. Over time, Dartmouth grew into an important port. Its deep waters were perfect for sailing ships.

Dartmouth was a key starting point for the Crusades in 1147 and 1190. Some say Warfleet Creek, near Dartmouth Castle, got its name from the huge fleets of ships that gathered there.

Royal Connections and Defenses

The Royal Navy has used Dartmouth since the time of King Edward III. During the Hundred Years' War, the town was attacked twice. After these attacks, a large chain was used to close the mouth of the river every night for protection. Today, the narrow entrance to the River Dart is still guarded by two old castles: Dartmouth Castle and Kingswear Castle. The town's first wharf (a place for ships to dock) was Bayard's Cove, a small area protected by a fort.

Famous Visitors and Privateers

In 1373, the famous writer Geoffrey Chaucer visited Dartmouth. He even mentioned a "schipman" (sailor) from Dartmouth in his famous book, The Canterbury Tales.

Dartmouth was also a major base for privateers in medieval times. These were private ships allowed by the government to attack enemy ships. John Hawley, a privateer and mayor of Dartmouth, is thought to be the inspiration for Chaucer's sailor.

Old Streets and Churches

The oldest street in Dartmouth is Smith Street, first mentioned in the 1200s. Many houses there were built in the late 1500s or early 1600s. This street was important for smiths and shipbuilders who worked on ships when the river reached this far.

The first church in the area was St Clement's, Townstal, built around the 1190s. Later, St Saviour's Church was built in 1335. It has a beautiful old wooden screen from 1480 and a large medieval iron door. This door is decorated with two leopards, symbols of the Plantagenet royal family.

Medieval church door of St Saviour's, with armorial leopards

Becoming a Royal Borough

In 1281, it was decided that the Lord of Totnes could charge tolls on ships using the river. Later, in 1327, the town, river, and port were given to the king, making Dartmouth a Royal Borough. In 1341, Dartmouth received a Royal Charter, which allowed the town to elect its own mayor. This made the town more independent.

Land Changes and New Areas

In 1671, a new area called the "New Ground" was created by building up a sandbank with ship's ballast. This made more space for ships to dock. Today, this area is the Royal Avenue Gardens.

The Spanish Armada and Treasure Ships

Dartmouth sent many ships to join the English fleet against the Spanish Armada in 1588. One Spanish ship, the Nuestra Señora del Rosario, was captured and brought to the River Dart.

In 1592, a huge Portuguese treasure ship called the Madre de Deus docked in Dartmouth. It was full of riches and attracted many people. Even after some treasure went missing, ten large ships were needed to carry the rest to London!

The arrival of the Great Carrack Madre de Deus at Dartmouth Harbour, 18 September 1592

Pilgrim Fathers and Historic Buildings

Henry Hudson, a famous explorer, stopped in Dartmouth on his way back from North America. The Pilgrim Fathers also stopped at Bayard's Cove in Dartmouth in 1620. They rested before continuing their journey to America on the Mayflower and the Speedwell. When the Speedwell proved unseaworthy, the Mayflower continued alone. Dartmouth's sister city in America is Dartmouth, Massachusetts.

The town has many old streets and buildings from medieval and Elizabethan times. One famous building is the Butterwalk, built between 1635 and 1640. It has beautiful carved wooden supports. King Charles II even held court here in 1671.

The Butterwalk

The Royal Castle Hotel, built in 1639, is another historic building. The Cherub pub, built around 1380, is thought to be one of the oldest buildings in town.

English Civil War Defenses

During the English Civil War, a fort called Gallants Bower was built by the Royalists around 1643 to defend the town. In 1646, the Parliamentarian army attacked and captured Dartmouth, and the fort was later destroyed.

Changes in the 1800s

Before 1671, much of the town centre was muddy tidal flats. In the 1800s, new roads were built, and parts of the town were widened. In 1881, a plan for an embankment or esplanade was made to attract tourists and provide more space for boats. This was finished in 1885.

When steamships became popular, Dartmouth became a place where ships could get coal. This led to very crowded living conditions for the coal workers near the river.

The 1900s and World War II

In the 1920s, the town council began to clear the crowded living areas. New houses were built in the Britannia Avenue area.

During the later part of World War II, Dartmouth was a base for American forces. It was one of the departure points for Utah Beach during the D-Day landings. The nearby Slapton Sands area was used by US troops for practice landings.

Recent Times

Between 1985 and 1990, the Embankment was made wider and higher to prevent flooding. A special gate was added at the Boatfloat bridge to close during high tides.

In 2010, a fire badly damaged several historic buildings in Fairfax Place and Higher Street.

How Dartmouth is Governed

Dartmouth used to be an ancient borough, which is a type of town with special rights. It was known as Clifton-Dartmouth-Hardness. The town had its own Member of Parliament until 1868.

Today, Dartmouth has a town council made up of 16 councillors. This is the lowest level of local government. Dartmouth is also part of the South Hams District Council and the Devon County Council.

Fun Things to Do and See

Map of Dartmouth

Events and Festivals

The Port of Dartmouth Royal Regatta is a big event that happens every year for three days at the end of August. It includes boat races, markets, fun fairs, music, air shows (sometimes with the Red Arrows!), and fireworks. A Royal Navy ship often visits during the event.

Other fun events include beer festivals, a music festival, an art and craft weekend, a food festival, and a Christmas candlelit event.

The Flavel Centre is a community building that has a public library and spaces for films, live music, comedy, and art shows.

Filming Locations

Bayard's Cove has been used as a filming location for several TV shows, including The Onedin Line and Down to Earth.

Popular Attractions

• The Dartmouth Royal Naval College: This is where officers for the Royal Navy are trained.
• Bayard's Cove Fort: An old fort that protected the town.
• Dartmouth Castle: One of the two castles guarding the river entrance.
• The Dartmouth Steam Railway: A fun steam train ride that ends in Kingswear, across the river.

You can also take boat trips along the coast or up the river to places like Totnes and the Greenway Estate (which was once home to famous author Dame Agatha Christie). The South West Coast Path also passes through Dartmouth, offering great walks.

The area is very popular for yachting, with many marinas for boats.

Weather in Dartmouth

Dartmouth has a maritime climate, which means it has warm summers and mild winters. This is because it's close to the coast. The temperature usually stays between 3.8°C (39°F) in winter and 20.7°C (69°F) in summer. The wettest months are usually November and December.

Getting Around Dartmouth

Ferries and Roads

Dartmouth is connected to Kingswear (on the other side of the River Dart) by three ferries. Two of them carry cars, and one is just for passengers. The passenger ferry is mainly used to connect with the Dartmouth Steam Railway at Kingswear railway station. The nearest bridge across the Dart is in Totnes, about 11 miles away by road.

The A379 road goes through Dartmouth, connecting it to other towns. The A3122 road also links Dartmouth to the A381 road, which leads to Totnes and Kingsbridge.

Buses and Trains

Stagecoach South West provides local bus services in Dartmouth and connects the town to places like Plymouth, Totnes, and Exeter.

No railway line has ever reached Dartmouth directly. However, the town does have a railway station building, which opened in 1890. It's now a restaurant. The railway line to Kingswear opened in 1864. Passengers would take a ferry across the river to Dartmouth. The line closed to regular trains in 1973 but reopened as a heritage line, which means it's now a fun tourist attraction with old trains.

Dartmouth station building, now a restaurant.

Kingswear seen from Dartmouth

Media and News

You can watch local TV news from BBC West and ITV West Country.

Local radio stations include BBC Radio Devon, Heart West, Greatest Hits Radio South Devon, and Radio Exe.

The Dartmouth Chronicle is the town's local weekly newspaper.

Learning in Dartmouth

Britannia Royal Naval College

Dartmouth is home to the Royal Navy's officer training college, called the Britannia Royal Naval College. This is where all officers for the Royal Navy, and many from other countries, receive their training.

Schools

Dartmouth has one primary school, St John the Baptist R.C. Primary School. It also has an all-through school called Dartmouth Academy for students aged 3 to 16. There's also a pre-school in the town centre for younger children.

Sports and Fun

Dartmouth has a Non-League football club called Dartmouth A.F.C. They play at a ground called Long Cross.

The town also hosts the annual "World Indoor Rally Championship," which is a fun event based on slot car racing.

At the end of August and beginning of September, the annual Port of Dartmouth Royal Regatta takes place, which is a big sporting and community event.

Famous People from Dartmouth

• George Parker Bidder (1806–1878): A brilliant civil engineer and amazing mental calculator.
• Simon Drew (born 1952): A well-known cartoonist and illustrator who lives in Dartmouth.
• John Flavel (c.1627–1691): An English minister and author.
• Rachel Kempson (1910–2003): A famous actress who was born in Dartmouth. She was the wife of Sir Michael Redgrave and mother to actresses Vanessa and Lynn.
• Christopher Robin Milne (1920–1996): The son of author A. A. Milne, who inspired the character Christopher Robin in the Winnie-the-Pooh books. He used to own a bookshop in Dartmouth.
• Thomas Newcomen (1664–1729): The inventor of the atmospheric engine, the first successful steam-powered engine. He was born in Dartmouth.
• Mary Nightingale (born 1963): An ITV news presenter who grew up in Dartmouth.
• Flora Thompson (1876–1947): An author who lived in Dartmouth and wrote parts of her famous book Lark Rise to Candleford there.

Images for kids

• 

  Smith Street circa 1930

See also

In Spanish: Dartmouth (Inglaterra) para niños