Discover Paignton, Devon

Paignton, Devon, England: Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Betting_Shop,_Palace_Avenue,_Paignton_-_geograph.org.uk_-_366218.jpg
Author: Tom Jolliffe


Paignton is a coastal town within the unitary authority of Torbay, in Devon, England. Located on a coastal stretch often called the English Riviera, Paignton has a population of around 48,000 people (2012 estimate).

The town of Paignton goes back close to two thousand years, when it began as a Celtic settlement. It was listed in the Domesday Book of 1086. It received a market charter in 1294, giving it the rights to hold a market and a fair.

Paignton remained a small village right up to the 19th century, when the construction of its new harbor helped to fuel its growth as a town. A railway line was built in 1858, connecting Paignton and Torquay with London, facilitating the growth of the town.

American inventor Isaac Merritt Singer, who amassed a fortune founding the Singer Sewing Machine Company, built Oldway Mansion, a large house in Paignton. The building is today used by the Torbay Council. Houses belonging to Singer's sons Washington and Mortimer are also in Paignton, and are now occupied by the Palace Hotel and the Inn On The Green.

Paignton Beach: Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Paignton_beach.jpg
Author: Arpingstone

Visiting Paignton

From Manchester, take the M5 motorway until it continues as the A38 and then as the A380 road. Continue on the A380 until you reach Paignton.

Places of Interest in Paignton