11 Facts About Paignton

Paignton is a seaside town on the coast of Tor Bay in Devon, England.

Paignton is around 25 miles north east of Plymouth and 20 miles south of Exeter, and has the fourth largest population in Devon.

Paignton is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Peintone in the ancient hundred of Kerswell.

Paignton was given the status of a borough having a market and fair in 1294.

Paignton was a small fishing and farming village until the 19th century, when in 1837 the Paington Harbour Act led to the construction of a new harbour.

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The historic part of Paignton is centred on Church Street, Winner Street and Palace Avenue which contain fine examples of Victorian architecture.

Railway line to Paignton was built by the Dartmouth and Torbay Railway, and opened to passengers on 2 August 1859, providing Torquay and Paignton with a link to London.

Paignton's economy relies extensively on tourism and the town is marketed as a location for family holidays.

Paignton has a variety of holiday accommodation, complemented by numerous pubs, nightclubs and restaurants.

Immediately to the east of Paignton Harbour is Fairy Cove, which has no facilities, but features good exposures of the Torbay Breccia, a red sandstone with pieces of rock which washed into it when the area was a desert.

Hollicombe beach, situated at Paignton's northern boundary with Torquay, features a geological stratotype at its northern end, known as the "Corbyn's Head Member" Elberry Cove is used by jetski enthusiasts, while Saltern Cove is a Site of Special Scientific Interest due to its distinctive geology and its marine biology.