Introduction to Dartmouth

380km (236 miles) SW of London; 56km (35 miles) SE of Exeter

At the mouth of the Dart River, this ancient seaport is home of the Royal Naval College. Traditionally linked to England's maritime greatness, Dartmouth sent out the young midshipmen who saw to it that "Britannia ruled the waves." You can take a river steamer up the Dart to Totnes. The Dart is Devon's most beautiful river. Dartmouth's 15th-century castle was built during the reign of Edward IV. The town's most noted architectural feature is the Butter Walk, a row of 17th-century houses standing on granite pillars. A Flemish influence, acquired through trade during the Middle Ages, is evident in some of the houses.