Only in Dartmouth
1 The station platform with no trains
The building now called The Embankment Bistro was originally built as a railway platform for Dartmouth. Unfortunately the train line never made its way across the river, so whilst tickets could be purchased from the building for trains over the river in Kingswear, no one has ever caught a train from the platform.
2 The UK's only coal fired paddle steamer
The paddle steamer, Kingswear Castle, is the only remaining coal fired paddle steamer in the UK. In her heyday she would carry almost 500 passengers up the Dart between Dartmouth and Totnes. Nowadays she is a stunning part of the river cruise trips on the Dart.
(Image: © DartHarbourAuthority)
3 The first working steam engine
Thomas Newcomen was the engineer who designed the first successful steam engine. He was born in Dartmouth, and had a workshop here which is marked by a plaque on Newcomen Road. An early Newcomen Engine can be seen at the Visitor Centre in Dartmouth.
4 Christopher Robin's bookshop
Winnie The Pooh's Christopher Robin ran the Harbour bookshop in Dartmouth for over 30 years. His father, AA Milne, wrote his son into his books so it is fitting that Christopher grew up to have his own book shop. Unfortunately the bookshop is no longer trading, but the site continues as a shop on the corner of Newcomen Road.
(Image: © Apex News & Pictures)
5 Home of the Gurgling Jugs
Whilst gurgling water jugs were invented in the late 1870s by the British company Thomas Forester & Sons, the Dartmouth Pottery in Warfleet gave the jug its memorable fish-shaped design.
6 The UK's only commercial freediver
James Kirkcaldy runs a truly unique business from Dartmouth. He supplies a small number of Michelin starred restaurants with scallops that he sources from the local bays. What makes this a standout operation is that his scallops are caught by freediving on a single breath. These are truly handpicked products, which makes them such a sought after delicacy. This 'light touch' style of fishing also means it is a damage-free approach, leaving the seabed undisturbed.
(Image:@greenstraight_scallops)
7 The first coastal artillery fort in Britain
Dartmouth Castle is an iconic feature of the town, sitting at the point where the River Dart meets the English Channel. The first fortification was begun in 1388 to protect the town and harbour from French raids during the Hundred Years War. The following century it was strengthened with a gun tower, the first purpose-built coastal artillery fort in Britain.
8 The "Tree of Jesse" Elizbethan Ceiling
The Jesse Room in Dartmouth Museum, used for the archives, has a unique plaster relief ceiling displaying the 'Tree of Jesse'. This symbolic depiction of the ancestry of Jesus was popular in the Middle Ages, but this is believed to be the only plaster depiction now in existence.
(Image:devonmuseums.net)
9 The Tug & Platform Ferry
The Dartmouth Lower Ferry is a unique tug and platform ferry service using a floating platform pushed and pulled by a tug boat. As the ferry moves away from the ramp on either side of the Dart, it pivots whilst the bow is attached to the platform, in order to point in the right direction. This method has been in use since the 1700s, and is now one of the quintessential experiences in Dartmouth. It also provides a beautiful view of the harbour, and can be enjoyed by foot passengers and vehicles alike.