Discover Torquay, Devon

Brunswick Square, Torquay, Devon, England: Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Brunswick_Square,_Torre_-_geograph.org.uk_-_197411.jpg
Author: Derek Harper


Torquay is a seaside town in the Torbay unitary authority area, in Devon, England. The town is best known for being the home of Agatha Christie for much of her life. It lies about 35 km (22 mi) south of Exeter and 61 km (38 mi) northeast of Plymouth. Torquay has a population of 64,000 people, making it the third largest settlement in Devon.

The Torquay area bears evidence of human habitation going back into the Stone Age. The hand axes found in Kents Cavern may be the oldest articles by modern human in Europe, dating to as early as 40,000 years ago.

Although there is no trace of Roman settlement in the area, Roman soldiers have visited Torquay and left offerings at a rock formation in Kent's Cavern. Modern Torquay probably dates back to the construction of Torre Abbey in 1196. Little was known of Torquay thourh the ages, and it was just a small village at the start of the 19th century, with a population less than 900 people. Yet within less than fifty years, that would grow to 11,474.

The construction of a railway station helped to increase the development and population of the town. In the early days, Torquay was a convalescence retreat attracting those seeking a good rest from illnesses. By the late 19th century, the visitor composition evolved, with healthy tourists forming the bulk of visitors.

Today Torquay depends on tourism as the mainstay of its economy. It has a number of tourist sights that are worth checking out.

Visiting Torquay

If coming from Manchester, take the M5 motorway until Exeter, where it continues as the A38 and then as the A380. Take the A380 heading south till you arrive in Torquay.

Chapel in Torquay Cemetery: Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Chapel_in_Torquay_Cemetery_-_geograph.org.uk_-_257352.jpg
Author: Derek Harper

Places of Interest in Torquay

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Hello and thanks for reading this page. My name is Timothy and my hobby is in describing places so that I can share the information with the general public. My website has become the go to site for a lot of people including students, teachers, journalists, etc. whenever they seek information on places, particularly those in Malaysia and Singapore. I have been doing this since 5 January 2003, for over twenty years already. You can read about me at Discover Timothy. By now I have compiled information on thousands of places, mostly in Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore, and I continue to add more almost every day. My goal is to describe every street in every town in Malaysia and Singapore.