Torquay & South Devon - Devon and Cornwall - page 170

Britannia Royal Naval College
( 01803-834224; College Way; adult/child £12/5; tours Mon & Wed Apr-Oct) The imposing building
crowning the hills above Dartmouth is where the Royal Navy trains all its officers. Built
in 1905, it replaced two training hulks that were anchored in the Dart. Guides lead you
around the stately rooms and grounds, recounting the building's history and tales of its
students (alumni include Princes Charles and Andrew); it's also where the Queen first met
the Duke of Edinburgh in 1939. Visits are by pre-booked guided tour only (the pick-up
point is in central Dartmouth); contact the tourist office.

HISTORIC BUILDING

Dartmouth Castle
(EH; 01803-833588; www.english-heritage.org.uk ; Castle Rd; adult/child £5/3; 10am-6pm Apr-Sep, to 5pm
Oct, 10am-4pm Sat & Sun Nov-Mar; ) The atmospheric boat trip to this fortification at the
mouth of the River Dart is part of its huge appeal. The tiny, open-top Castle Ferry MAP
GOOGLE MAP ( www.dartmouthcastleferry.co.uk ; adult/child return £4/2; 10am-4.45pm Apr-Oct) putters the
mile downriver from Dartmouth's South Embankment, providing unbeatable views of the
houses and woods lining the steep banks. The picturesque castle itself started life in the
14th century to protect the harbour from seaborne raids. It was commissioned by Dart-
mouth's privateering mayor, John Hawley - said to be the inspiration for the 'Shipman' in
Chaucer's Canterbury Tales . The fortification saw additions in the 15th century, the
Victorian era and WWII. Today its maze of passages, guardrooms and battlements
provides an evocative insight into life inside; there's also an audiovisual recreation of a
Victorian gun drill.

CASTLE

Historic Dartmouth
Dartmouth has an impressive array of half-timbered houses lining the South Embankment ,
Fairfax Place , Duke St and the streets framing the boat float . Many date from the 17th century
and have brightly painted crests and gilded motifs. Look out for the 14th-century Cherub
Inn , up steps off Fairfax Place, and the towering building opposite the entrance to Church
Close, whose carvings include vivid bunches of grapes, a popular design for Dartmouth
wine traders.
Beside the boat float, the Butterwalk is a row of incredibly slanting 17th-century shops.
It's home to the Dartmouth Museum MAP GOOGLE MAP ( 01803-832923; www.dartmouthmuseum.org ;
Duke St; adult/child £2/50p; 10am-4pm Tue-Sat Apr-Oct, noon-3pm daily Nov-Mar) , which beautifully
evokes the town's nautical past via model ships, boats in bottles and sepia photos.

ARCHITECTURE