castle
Dartmouth Castle
A coastal fortress at the mouth of the Dart, the first English castle designed for artillery, once chained to Kingswear opposite.
7 km · about 15 min drive
EuropeUnited KingdomEngland
Brixham
England, United Kingdom · Europe
About Brixham
Brixham works well as a base: 10 minutes from Paignton, 26km from Haytor.
Brixham is in England, United Kingdom, with about 17,000 people. You drive on the left here. The nearest town is Paignton, about 6 km away.
Brixham is a coastal town and civil parish in the borough of Torbay in the county of Devon, in the south-west of England. As of the 2021 census, Brixham had a population of 16,825. It is one of the main three centres of the borough, along with Paignton and Torquay.
It is believed that the name Brixham originates fromRead more
the personal name of an early resident, Brioc, followed by the Old English suffix, ham meaning home. The town, which is predominantly hilly, is built around a natural harbour, which in addition to leisure craft, provides anchorage for what is now one of England's (but not the UK's) largest remaining commercial fishing fleets. A conspicuous local tourist attraction is the permanently moored replica of Sir Francis Drake's ship Golden Hind.
Historically, Brixham was made up of two separate communities connected by a marshy lane. In Fishtown, in the immediate vicinity of the harbour, the residents made a living mainly from fishing and related trades, as the name suggests. Cowtown, one mile (1.6 km) inland in the vicinity of what is now St Mary's Square, made its living from agriculture. Cowtown is on the road out of town to the south-west in the direction of Kingswear. St Mary's Square is overlooked by a sizeable church standing on the site of a Saxon original.
On 5 November 1688, the Dutch stadtholder William of Orange landed in Brixham with 40,000 soldiers, sailors, and volunteers, before marching on London, where he was crowned King William III as part of the Glorious Revolution.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Brixham?
Within an hour or so of Brixham: Dartmouth Castle (7 km), Salcombe (25 km), Haytor (26 km), Powderham Castle (28 km).
Are there any good drives near Brixham?
The nearest famous roads are B3212 across Dartmoor, Atlantic Highway (A39) and Porlock Hill.
Where is Brixham?
Brixham is in England, United Kingdom, about 6 km from Paignton.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 16,693
- Continent
- Europe
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Region
- England
- Timezone
- Europe/London
- Coordinates
- 50.3943, -3.5158
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in United Kingdom
112 also works. NHS non-emergency medical advice: 111. National Highways breakdown assistance on motorways: 0300 123 5000.
Full driving guide for United KingdomTags
Worth the detour from Brixham
8 notable places within an hour's drive.
landmark
Salcombe
A sailing town on a drowned river valley in the South Hams, with sandy coves reachable by small ferry.
25 km · about 30 min drive
natural wonder
Haytor
The most visited granite tor on Dartmoor, a pair of rounded outcrops rising above open moor with easy roadside access.
26 km · about 30 min drive
castle
Powderham Castle
The fortified manor of the Courtenay family since 1391, in a deer park beside the Exe estuary.
28 km · about 30 min drive
natural wonder
Hound Tor
A shattered granite tor said to have inspired The Hound of the Baskervilles, beside the ruins of a deserted medieval village.
29 km · about 35 min drive
natural wonder
Bowerman’s Nose
A weathered granite stack on Hayne Down shaped like a human head, tied to a legend of a hunter turned to stone by witches.
30 km · about 35 min drive
scenic viewpoint
Dartmeet
The confluence of the East and West Dart rivers, a popular riverside spot beside a steep-sided moorland road.
30 km · about 35 min drive
landmark
Burgh Island
A tidal island reached by a sea tractor at high tide, with an Art Deco hotel that inspired Agatha Christie.
30 km · about 35 min drive
Driving roads near Brixham
- 30 kmDartmeetThe confluence of the East and West Dart rivers, a popular riverside spot beside a steep-sided moorland road.
- 36 kmB3212 across DartmoorThe open moorland crossing from Moretonhampstead to Yelverton past Postbridge and Princetown, with ponies on the road.
- 36 kmPostbridge Clapper BridgeA 13th-century granite slab bridge over the East Dart, the best-preserved clapper bridge on Dartmoor.
- 51 kmRame HeadA conical headland on Cornwall's south-east tip crowned by a 14th-century chapel, with views across Plymouth Sound.
- 61 kmGolden CapThe highest point on England's south coast at 191 m, its sandstone summit glowing gold above Charmouth and Lyme Bay.
- 76 kmTarr StepsA 17-span prehistoric-style clapper bridge across the River Barle on Exmoor, repeatedly rebuilt after floods.
Driving in United Kingdom
- Drives on
- the left
- Petrol
- ~€1.73/litre
- Motorway tolls
- None
When to drive here
April to October
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