Dartmouth

DARTMOUTH, otherwise Clifton-Dartmouth-Hardness, a borough, seaport, and market-town, having separate jurisdiction, in the union of Totnes, locally in the hundred of Coleridge, Stanborough and Coleridge, and S. divisions of Devon, 30¾ miles (S. by W.) from Exeter, and 204 (W. S. W.) from London; containing 4417 inhabitants. This place, which derives its name from being situated at the mouth of the river Dart, appears to have been distinguished at a very early period for the convenience of its harbour, which, in 1190, was the rendezvous of the fleet destined for the Holy Land. In the reign of Richard I. the French effected a landing on the coast, and, after setting fire to the town, retreated with inconsiderable loss. It is stated by Leland to have received a charter of incorporation from King John, but no authentic document exists of a date prior to Edward III.: whether incorporated or not, it enjoyed many privileges, and in 1226, the inhabitants obtained the grant of a weekly market and an annual fair. In the reign of Edward I. the town sent members to a parliament held at York, and had become a considerable staple for wool, wine, and iron; and in that of Edward III., the port contributed thirty-one ships, and nearly 800 men, to the naval armament for the invasion of France: in this reign the town, together with the adjacent village of South-town, which is that part of the town called also Clifton, was exempted from tolls. By act of parliament in the time of Richard II., the exportation of tin was exclusively restricted to the port of Dartmouth, but the restriction was soon after abolished. In 1404, the French pirates, having burnt Plymouth, sailed to this town, but were gallantly repulsed by the male and female inhabitants; De Chastell their commander, and several of his men, were killed, and 20 of the crew taken prisoners. The castle is supposed to have been erected in the reign of Henry VII. During the parliamentary war, Dartmouth was regarded as a very important post: it was taken, after a siege of four weeks, by Prince Maurice in 1643, and remained in the possession of the king's forces until 1646, when it was retaken by General Fairfax.

The town is beautifully situated on the western shore of the bay formed by the river Dart, near its influx into the sea. The houses are built on the acclivity of an eminence sloping gently to the margin of the water, and are ranged in streets rising above each other at different elevations; they are in general ancient, and some of them are ornamented with grotesque carvings. That which was formerly the governor's house (the office having been abolished), occupies a higher site, and is a modern adaptation of the ancient style of building that prevails in the town; it forms the front to a naval museum, and is now a private dwelling-house. The streets are inconveniently narrow, but are partially paved, and lighted with gas, and the inhabitants are supplied with water brought by pipes from springs in the neighbourhood, at the expense of the corporation, who lease it to the owners of houses. A subscription reading-room and library have been established, and a regatta takes place generally in July. The surrounding scenery is strikingly beautiful: the prospect of the town from the bay is truly picturesque; and the rocks, which are of a purple-coloured slate, are finely contrasted with the verdant foliage of the trees in which the houses are embosomed, extending for nearly a mile along the coast, and interspersed with a rich variety of plants and shrubs. The bay, in several points of view from which the town and the sea are excluded by projecting points of land, has the appearance of an inland lake, of romantic beauty. Immediately opposite to the town is the village of Kingsweare, celebrated for the salubrity of its air and the longevity of its inhabitants.

The harbour is sufficiently capacious for the reception of 500 sail of vessels, and is remarkable for its security, and for the depth and tranquillity of the water, the surface of which is undisturbed, while the sea, at the distance only of a quarter of a mile, may be in a state of strong agitation. The entrance is on the south-southeast, between the ruins of Kingsweare Castle and the fort and church of St. Petrox, where a battery has been erected for its defence, and where, through the liberality of the late Sir John Henry Seale, Bart., a light was erected for the protection of vessels wishing to make the harbour in the night. The harbour is capable of receiving the largest ships in the British navy, and it has excited much surprise that it has not been made a naval depôt, as its position, depth of water, safety, and general accommodation for shipping, render it equal for commercial purposes to any in the kingdom. Outside the harbour is the roadstead called the Range, affording safe anchorage to vessels of any tonnage. The trade consists principally in the exportation of leather, tin-ware, wearing-apparel, and cordage, to Newfoundland, and sheep and lime to Jersey and Guernsey, and in the importation of wine from Portugal, and timber from the north of Europe and British America; a considerable coasting-trade is also carried on, and great quantities of corn, malt, potatoes, and cider are shipped at the port. A quay has been constructed, projecting into the harbour; and there is a custom-house, with requisite offices for the despatch of business. A moveable bridge, secured with chains to the shores, and capable of transporting four carriages, without divesting the horses of their harness, is propelled across the harbour by horse power: it was constructed in 1832, at an expense, including the approaches, of £6000, raised by a joint subscription under an act of parliament; it crosses in about eight minutes, and forms a continuation of the coast road from Exeter to Plymouth, which is one of the finest drives in the kingdom. The river Dart is navigable to Totnes, ten miles distant; and the passage is highly interesting, from the beautiful scenery with which its banks abound throughout. There is a steam-boat kept for the purpose of towing vessels in and out, and also plying daily during summer, and twice a week in winter, to and from Totnes; likewise a steam-vessel weekly to London, touching at Torquay, Teignmouth, the Isle of Wight, and Portsmouth. Much is done in the way of ship-building; there are commodious yards, in which about twenty vessels are built annually, and also a very large dry-dock. But the inhabitants are chiefly engaged in the Newfoundland and other fisheries. The market is on Friday; a cattle-market is held every month, and there is a daily fish-market well supplied.

The government, by charter of Edward III., confirmed by succeeding monarchs, and extended by Elizabeth and James I., was vested in a mayor and twelve masters and councillors, forming the common-council, assisted by a recorder, townclerk, and other officers. By the act of the 5th and 6th of William IV., cap. 76, the corporation now consists of a mayor, four aldermen, and twelve councillors; the municipal and parliamentary boundaries are co-extensive; the mayor and late mayor are justices of the peace, and the total number of magistrates is ten. The borough continued to return two members to parliament from the period of its incorporation, in the 24th of Edward III., till the 2nd of William IV., when it was deprived of one by the Reform act. The right of election was formerly vested in the corporation, and in the freemen made by them, the inhabitants of the borough (which comprised 81 acres) not being entitled to their freedom in right either of birth, servitude, or residence: by the act above-named the non-resident electors, except within seven miles, were disfranchised, and the privilege was extended to the £10 householders of an enlarged district, containing 1981 acres. The mayor is returning officer. A court of quarter-sessions is held, at which the recorder presides; and the borough has a court of record, under a charter of Edward III., for the recovery of debts to any amount, appointed to be held on Monday. The prison is a small building, with only two wards.

Dartmouth comprises the parishes of St. Petrox, St. Saviour, Townstall (St. Clement), and part of Stoke-Fleming; the first containing 929, the second 2345, and the third 1143 inhabitants. St. Petrox' is a perpetual curacy, in the patronage of the Rector of Stoke-Fleming, with a net income of £120. The old church is beautifully situated near the entrance to the harbour. A church was built in 1732, as a chapel of ease, which the Bishop of Exeter has made the parochial church, and to which a gallery has been added; and in 1832 a chapel was built in the later English style, partly by subscription, and partly by aid of a grant of £1000 from the Incorporated Society. The living of St. Saviour's is annexed to the vicarage of Townstall. The church, commonly called the Mayor's chapel, is a spacious cruciform structure, possessing little external, but considerable internal, beauty, and is principally in the decorated English style. The pulpit is of stone, richly sculptured and gilt; the wooden screen is an elaborate and highly enriched specimen of carving; the stalls of the corporation are of good modern workmanship: the original ceiling of oak is still preserved. The living of the parish of Townstall is a discharged vicarage, valued in the king's books at £12. 15. 4½., and in the patronage of Sir H. P. Seale, with a net income of £135. There are places of worship for Particular Baptists, Independents, and Wesleyans. Newcomen, the inventor of the steamengine, was a native of the town. Dartmouth gives the title of Earl to the family of Legge.

Transcribed from A Topographical Dictionary of England, by Samuel Lewis, seventh edition, published 1858.