Torquay lies on a stretch of the Devon coast that is described  as the "English Rivera" and with its mild climate, beautiful gardens, and palm trees, it is easy to see why this particular part of the South West coast  is so-named. The area has been inhabited for thousands of years. Kents Cavern in Torquay has some of the earliest signs of human habitation in the Country. One will find numerous archaeological artifacts excavated from the Cavern to bear this out. They are on display in the Torquay Museum. Given the mild climate and beautiful coastal location, it is easy to see why our fore-fathers choose to settled here. The towns economy was initially based upon fishing and agriculture as was the case of Brixham which lies across Torbay, but in the early 19th century due to the Naploeonic Wars the town began to develop into a fashionable seaside resort. The Royal Navy initially frequented Torbay andv anchored in the bay to safeguard against any threats that might come from the French.  The  crème de la crème of Victorian society were denied by the war, their habitual French holiday destinations. So they  began to look at places in England to holiday. Torquays fame soon spread; and weathy Victorians soon flocked to the place to promanarde and be seen. Renowned for its healthful climate, the town earned the nickname of the English Riviera and drew favourable comparisons to Montpellier, and given its palm trees, and abundant exotic plants it is easy to see why the Victorians could imagine that they were still at holiday on the south coast of France. Yes once again it is the Victorians who we can thank for the area emerging as a place to holiday, for they flocked to Torquay and the near by town's of Paignton and Brixham. And it was the Victorians who gave the area the name of " The English Rivera." They would as Victorians did, promenade along the seafront  in all their finery taking the sea air. However with the advent of the railways, travel was no longer solely the preserve of the gentry, and thousands of working class people came to Torquay to holiday. Torquay was not slow to respond to the influx and quickly established itself as one of the countrys premier holiday resorts.

The area that today comprising of modern Torquay has been inhabited since paleolithic times.  Kents Cavern is where; it is believed the earliest human remains of a modern human in Europe were uncovered. For a maxilla fragment was found (this maxilla fragment was an upper jawbone belived to be between 37,000 and 40,000 years old) ( The caverns and passages at the site were created around 2 million years ago by water action  ) Hand axes were also found in Kents Cavern which date to 450,000 years ago. Roman soldiers are known to have visited Torquay at some point during the period when Britain was a part of the Roman Empire, leaving offerings at a strange rock formation in Kent's Cavern known as 'The Face'. No evidence of a major Roman settlement has been found in the area; however evidence of Roman settlement has been found in nearby Totnes and given the proximity of the Romans main settlment  Exeter, it is entirely possible there may have been some small scale Roman settlement in the area. Maybe just a small outpost governing the approach to Exter, from the coast?

Torquay's name originates in it being the quay of the ancient village of Torre. In turn, Torre takes its name from the tor the extensively quarried remains of which can be seen by the town's Tor Hill Road. It was the building of Torre Abbey in the 1196 , in previously remote countryside that triggered the expansion, for the Abbey brought prosperity to the area. And people were not slow to follow. Torquay has cleverly built it attractions around it's most prominent feature, the water front. And in 2003 a new attraction opened the' Living Coast's, which is a celebration of wildlife that lives in coastal area's, however it does not just describe local wildlife but  world wide, yes it describes how wildlife lives and survive on the coast of the four corners of the earth. In the inner harbour is a foot bridge that takes you to a shopping area which has numerous shop's, and café's. One can stroll around the Marina and dream of owning one of the beautiful yatch's or boat's, if only them lottery number's would come up.!!! The Pavilion Shopping Arcade was once a Edwardian Theater, but now houses specialist shops, and a restaraunt, who's terraces that overlook the sea. Agatha Christie the famous author of  mystery novels enjoyed Torquay so much she even honeymooned here in the Grand Hotel. And no-doubt she enjoyed a visit to the Princess Theater, which even to-day still shows West End plays

Torquay played a major part in both of the World Wars that blighted the 20th century, and decimated two generations of the Nations youth. During World War I, (  the war to end all wars?  ) military hospitals were sited in Torquay - where many survivors from the disastrous Dardanelles Campaign recuperated in the town - and the area was also a staging post for troops off to France. ( the  Dardanelles Campaign was an ill-conceived  ill-thought out attempt by Winston Churchill to start a second front via Turkey and end the Western Front stalemate ) In September 1915 the town recieved a royal visit from King George V and Queen Mary, which no-doubt was a great moral booster . After the war had ended, that wonderful railway designed and constructed by Isambard-Kingdom-Brunell The Great Western Railway launched an advertising campaign to attract tourists to Torquay, and this helped the town grow to a major South coast resort. During World War II Torquay was regarded as safer than the towns of South East England, and played host to evacuees from the blitz on London, the town did however suffer minor bomb damage during the war, mainly from planes dumping excess loads after participating in the Plymouth Blitz. The last air raid on Torquay took place on 29 May 1944 shortly before the D-Day landings on June 6th 1944. Torquay was a major staging post and in the months leading up to D-Day thousands of  young American Army personnel arrived in Torquay with the 3204th Quartermaster Service Company being billeted in Chelston and Cockington. During Operation Overlord more than 23,000 men of the American 4th Infantry Division departed Torquay for Utah Beach.

The town itself is made up of a number of regions that over the years amalgamated into the town of Torquay. The town's historic core consists of the regions of Tormohun, Wellswood, The Warberries, Upton and Ellacombe and is based upon what was once the holdings of the Palk family. In 1900 the regions of Chelston and Livermead, previously part of the Cockington estate owned by the Mallocks were annexed by the town and this was swiftly followed by the absorption of the former borough of Saint Marychuch into the town. In this period Saint Marychurch consisted of more than just present day Saint Marychurch but also the regions of Plainmoor, Watcombe and Babbacombe. Finally in 1928 the Mallocks' last holdings in Cockington were integrated within the town borders. Torquay continued to expand throughout the century leading to the development of Shiphay, Hele Village, Barton and most recently from the 1990s until present day, The Willows giving the town its current layout. Torquay is also set along a coastline renowned for its beaches, having nine popular beaches. The high standards of water quality and beach facilities mean that many carry coveted awards, including no fewer than three European Blue Flags - more than any other resort in the UK. Because of its mild climate Torquay is awash with beautiful gardens, ideal places to relax in one of the finest being, The Royal Rock Gardens. Torquay is not shy of beautiful beaches either. it has ten in all, yes ten!!! A couple of my favourtite's are Meadfoot Beach, Anstey’s Cove, and Watcombe Beach. So you can see their are plenty of beaches to choose from. Yes all in all Torquay lives up to the name of "The English Riviera" and is a great place to holiday.!

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