Focus on Dartmouth - Luxury, indulgence and history

Ever since Chaucer set part of the prologue to his Canterbury tales in the town, Dartmouth has attracted the rich, the famous and even a TV film crew when the Onedin Line was shot in the 70s around Bayard’s Cove. Long before that the Pilgrim Fathers docked there en-route from Southampton to the New World. Today, Dartmouth is presided over by the Royal Naval College, where Princes Charles and Andrew both served as cadets and were often seen around the town, especially at the Castle Inn on The Quay.

You will never be at a loss for recreation in Dartmouth, because there is always something going on. History buffs will make for the castle, which dates from 1481 and was the first castle in the country to be constructed specifically for artillery. During the frequent wars it was joined by a heavy chain to Kingswear Castle on the opposite bank to protect the town and river, and continued to be used for defence right up to the Victorian era. Today the castle is owned by English Heritage and is open all year round. Phone 01803 833588 for details or log onto www.english-heritage.org.uk.

If you are walking to the castle you will pass Warfleet Creek, whose name has nothing to do with combat but is derived from the Saxon welflut meaning ‘a well by a stream’. Look down at the southern side of the creek; behind the 17th century quay wall is the ropewalk, workplace of the old rope makers. Boats now shelter in the redundant lime kilns, which were in use until the 19th century.

The town oozes history. Luckily many of Dartmouth’s Medieval and Tudor buildings survived the German bombs of 1943, and you can still enjoy a pint or two in the Cherub pub in Higher Street, originally a wool merchant’s house, built around 1380 mainly from ships’ timbers. It was named after a locally-built boat used for carrying wool and has nothing to do with holy angels. The Spinning Wheel Café in Hauley Road was built at the same time and claims to be the oldest tea rooms in England.

If you draw money from the Nat West bank at the end of the Butterwalk you will be following in the footsteps of the wheeler dealers of Mrs Hatton’s 17th-century coffee house, which once occupied the building, when goods were bought and sold by ‘sale of candle’, whereby a candle of an agreed length was lit and burnt down until the bidding stopped. The London coffee houses were responsible for the birth of the Stock Exchange. Butterwalks were built in many English towns to protect the dairy produce on sale from the vagaries of the weather.

Dartmouth is now known for its fine eateries. Sails restaurant, which serves upmarket English and global dishes using the finest Devon ingredients is located in the Yacht Club (see our Mother’s Day feature). The Anzac Street Bistro grows as much of its own fruit, vegetables and herbs as possible and buys all its fish from Brixham.

Then there is the Dart Marina resort, where Blue Chip has just taken on two new properties, Numbers 9 and 22, with its health spa and three top-notch restaurants. The chic River Restaurant, with its spectacular views, offers the best in upmarket English and Mediterranean cooking; the Wildfire Bistro’s motto is think ‘Slow Food – Fast’, and accompanies its locally-sourced dishes and home-baked breads with soft jazz, and acoustic guitar; the Floating Bridge pub serves traditional favourites such as Devon crab sandwiches, beer-battered cod and home-made chips, local ale and, of course, puds with rich Devon clotted cream. Dartmouth is not short on cafés either, whether you want morning coffee, lunch or a cream tea, and prices are extremely reasonable.

While you’re here, don’t miss out on the shopping. Take a stroll down Foss Street, which formed part of the 13th-century land reclamation project when a foss or earthen dam was built across the creek to allow water pressure from the incoming tide to drive the mill wheel. Foss Street is now the hub of Dartmouth’s specialist shops and houses no less than four contemporary art galleries. Visit Simon Drew who exhibits his pen and ink still life work and John Donaldson’s water colours of the West Country and France, plus ceramics by UK craftspeople.

If you want to buy a special gift, either for Mother’s Day, birthdays or Christmas, visit Candles & Soaps of Dartmouth, where the perfume hits you like an invisible wall. A bar of cheesecake, coconut toffee and cream, or chocolate soap will be sure to go down well with any female. Watch canvas goods being hand-made at The Canvas Factory and pick up a brightly-coloured shopper or a Tilley hat (great for keeping off the summer sun). Be inspired to get into shape for the summer with designer swimwear from Juste Moi or pick up a “macaroni” knitted top from Cornish company Weird Fish. Ethera offers designer jewellery and The Kitchen Shop will sell you a traditional cook’s apron.

Shopping is not limited to Foss Street and you can find other independent handbag, clothes and shoe shops in Fore Street, Fairfax Place, Victoria Road and Newcomen Road. There are enough food shops to ensure you don’t have to go in search of the nearest supermarket. Buy local meat including Exeter venison, game and poultry from Cutmore’s, fish from Mark Lobb at the market every Friday, clotted cream, Somerset butter and free-range milk from Dartmouth Dairy and home-made bread, scones and cakes from Sloping Deck Bakery, which also offers cream teas in its upstairs restaurant.

For a spot of entertainment, why not visit the Flavel, whose varied programme includes film, drama, music (with special children’s shows and workshops), lectures and exhibitions?

Whether you’re into history, shopping or fine dining, Dartmouth has it all, and with the added bonus of the South Hams’ mild climate, you can enjoy breaks at this seafaring town all year round. Blue Chip’s apartments at Dart Marina, offer the ultimate in pure, decadent luxury, from the apartments themselves with their breathtaking views over the river to the free to the on-site health suite, whose facilities include a luxury health spa with heated indoor pool, with a special a water current to tone the system, a full gym with cardiovascular and weight machines, a steam room, a spa bath and treatment rooms, where your skin can glow with the exclusive House of Elemis products.