Kingsbridge lies midway between Plymouth and Dartmouth, and the modern Kingsbridge is actually made up of two medieval towns of Kingsbridge and Dodbrooke. The site is at the head of a five mile ria, a flooded river valley system caused by sea level rises after the melting of ice caps at the end of the Ice Age. Kingsbridge was first mentioned in an Anglo-Saxon charter dated 962, has been a market town since 1219. when the monks from BUCKFAST ABBEY set up an open-air market selling honey, scones and cream. Ever since, Kingsbridge has been considered as the 'capital' of South Hams, and the market tradition continues every tuesday.



In medieval times, The Quay was part of the creek, but over the centuries, quays have been built over the mud flats. The area became a busy trading quay for the transportation of timber, barley, corn, livestock and building materials were shipped to/from the surrounding villages. In addition to the trading, Kingsbridge also developed a small shipbuilding industry.
To-day, the Quay remains the focal point of the town, and it is here that you will find a market and the Tourist Information Centre. Just off the quay is the Greig Galleries where an exhibition of the works of marine artist Donald Greig (RSMA) are displayed.


With the quay being the 'town centre', the Buckfast monks developed the town up the sides of the valley. The layout has changed little and Fore Street remains the 'high' street from where the town expanded. Here is the parish church of St Edmunds, which was built by the monks and financed from the market profits in the early part of the 15th century.


A little further on is 'The Shambles' an arcade whose pillars date back to 1585. It was here that the town's pillory stood.
At the top of the town, you will find the old coaching inn, The King's Arms. Built in 1775, the archway for the courtyard remains as an entrance to the car park. In those days, by a six-horse coach, it took the best part of five days to travel to London.

At the top of the town stands the Kingsbridge Grammar School built in 1670. The building now houses the Cookworthy Museum which celebrates the life of the first maker of true English porcelain.

The Salcombe / Kingsbridge ferry service operate regular services. You can walk across the footpaths from High House to Kingsbridge, and catch the ferry to Salcombe. Here you can spend a day in the port or take a ferry to East Portlemouth and spend the day in a sandy cove such as Mill Bay and Sandy Cove.


The beautiful estuary town of Salcombe is situated at the southernmost tip of Devon. The sheltered estuary attracts many boating and yachting visitors, and the fine golden sandy bays and coves are a magnet for sunbathers. The town has many quaint colourful narrow streets and passageways, where it is fun to shop. There are many excellent waterside restaurants, inns and bistros. The town is surrounded by miles of National Trust land and spectacular coastal paths and estuary walks.

There are excellent BEACHES and coves either side of the Salcombe / Kingsbridge Estuary. Two that demand a visit during your holiday are:

At low tide a causeway of firm sand lets walkers cross to Burgh Island, where you can enjoy a drink and snack at the 'Pilchard Inn'. The Inn is believed to have been the base for Tom Crocker, a well known smuggler. The island's hotel has been restored to its original 1920s splendour. Agatha Christie stayed here and wrote "Ten Little Niggers" in her bedroom. Noel Coward was a regular visitor and it is said that this is where Edward VIII hid Mrs Simpson from the world's press. At other states of the tide, a sea tractor operates a ferry service.

The shingle bar, known as Slapton Sands, stretches for nearly three miles. The area was used extensively by the U.S. Army in preparation for the Normandy landings in 1944. Tragically one exercise claimed the lives of nearly 1000 soldiers. A Sherman tank, originally lost from one of the landing craft, recovered from the sea, stands as a memorial to the victims. The Ley is a fresh water lake and a site of scientific interest. The 80ft tower of the village church is the sole remains of a college of Chantry Priests, established in 1373. All but the tower was demolished during the abolition by Henry VIII in 1545.