A deal with the Devil at Daddyhole’s haunted Plain
Not far from Torquay Harbour is Daddyhole Plain, a limestone plateau 75 metres above the sea. Nearby is the natural...
King Cholera: Torquay’s Forgotten Dead
Just off Lucius Street, in the north east corner of the churchyard of the Greek Orthodox Church of St. Andrew,...
“Without bonnets or shawls”: Torquay’s Prostitutes
Back in 1853 the Chief Constable of Torquay's Police, Charles Kilby, complained of the “unbecoming manner that young women of...
The Torquay Baby Farmer: Horror at Lowe’s Bridge
A quick warning: the following can be quite upsetting... Forget Jack the Ripper, baby farmers were the most prolific serial...
The last of the Torquay Toll Houses
Near Abbey Crescent sits Torquay's surviving Old Toll House. It was constructed by the Torquay and Dartmouth Turnpike Trust in...
1803: Torbay prepares for Napoleon’s invasion
In 1803 the small villages that made up Torbay prepared to be invaded. Evacuation plans were drawn up and the...
1931: The Evil Gang of Babbacombe
“We are not going to have Babbacombe turned into a hooligan’s preserve!” On 4 February 1931 the Torquay Directory reported...
1925: Fear and loathing on the streets of Torquay
Back in early 1925 Torquay experienced a crime spree that shocked and bewildered the sedate seaside resort. Over a period...
The forgotten women of Torquay
During the latter years of the nineteenth century Torquay claimed to be the wealthiest town in all England. Our mythical...
Did Hitler want to live in Torquay?
For decades tourist guides have been telling visitors that if the Nazis had occupied Britain, the Führer would have used...
When Churchill was an American GI (we’re not making this up)
Back in 2004 the comedy ‘Churchill: The Hollywood Years’ was partly filmed in the Bay. The movie was directed by...
The Demon that terrorised Victorian Torbay
In July 1847 there was an "extraordinary case" of sexual assault which "greatly excited" the town of Teignmouth. In response...
‘Torquay: A Social History’ by local author Kevin Dixon
'Torquay: A Social History’ by local author Kevin Dixon is a 10,000 year journey.The book tells of how a collection...
Rock Walk, the Sticklepath Fault, and Torquay’s Ghosts…
On the face of the vertical limestone cliff of Torquay's Rock Walk is a crack. This indicates a geological feature...
The pen is mightier than the sword….
Edward Bulwer-Lytton (1803-1873) was a remarkable man. He died on 18 January 1873 at his Torquay home Argyll Hall on...
“A desperate set of fellows”: Mutiny in Paignton
It's fairly well known that Britain exported its criminals to Australia. What is less known is that over 52,000 British...
1850: The Kids aren’t alright…
In 1941 Torquay’s court records were pulped as part of the war effort. Fortunately, before they were destroyed some...
Corrie comes to Torquay
“You know, they used to call us good time girls… well, we did have a good time, and...
What was Torbay’s most popular movie?
Here's a trick question for your next pub quiz.We all know that dozens of movies have been made in Torquay,...
The Monastery: Alfred and the church that rocked
“Upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it”. Matthew...
