Things to do The Butterwalk, Dartmouth
©Derek-Harper
©
DartmouthPhotographs.com
Dartmouth in 1712 by Thomas Newcomen, a local ironmonger. It proved a key invention in the Industrial Revolution and was soon used to pump water out of coalfields all over Europe and America. Through colourful displays and a cartoon character, the story of Thomas Newcomen’s life and invention is told, making the Engine House well worth a visit. Walk on to the corner of the car park a plaque records the filling of the whole area in 1876-1877. Opposite this plaque, to the left of where the new clinic now stands, were once two mill wheels driven by the waters of the falling tide and attached to the old stone building which was the mill house. This was one of Dartmouth’s worst areas. Rubbish and detritus emptied from windows of the mill house into a fetid disease-ridden pool.
4. The Bonded Store: Turn right into Mayors Avenue, which was reclaimed about the same time. Until then, ships were built and repaired here. A short distance on from the super- market, a warehouse with hooks to unload cargoes from ships can be seen. A vaulted customs bonded warehouse once used for
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storing dutiable spirits and tobacco lies behind. Turn left into King’s Quay and after 50 yards look left along Undercliff - a narrow path, originally the ‘red light’ area of the port. Go up the steps into Clarence Street and turn right.
5. Sea Captains and Shipbuilders: Clarence Street was a favourite place for sea captains to live, close to where the ships came in. At the end of Clarence Street is the Ship In Dock Inn which within living memory overlooked small shipbuilding yards on the edge of Coombe Mud. This area was filled in to form Coronation Park (on your right) in 1937 when the North Embankment was completed. Look up river at the floating bridge or higher ferry designed by James Rendell, which in 1831 provided the first vehicular crossing of the Dart below Totnes. To the left, uphill there is a good view of Britannia Royal Naval Col- lege. This replaced the two ships ‘Britannia’ and ‘Hindustan’ in 1905 which since 1864 had trained officers of the Royal Navy. Prince Charles and Prince Andrew followed family tradition in taking their naval training there. Return along Clarence Street and fork right
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