Paignton is a coastal town in Devon in England. Together with Torquay and Brixham it forms the unitary authority of Torbay which was created in 1998. The Torbay area is a holiday destination known as the English iviera. Paignton is mentioned in records dating back to the Domesday Book of 1086 AD. Paignton was a small fishing village until the 19th century, when in 1837 the Paington (sic) Harbour Act led to the construction of a new harbour. It was around this time that the modern spelling of Paignton first appeared. Oldway Mansion is a large house and gardens in Paignton constructed in the 1870s for Isaac Merritt Singer, who had amassed a considerable fortune by dint of his improvements to the sewing machine. Paignton Zoo is one of the largest in the United Kingdom. The Paignton and Dartmouth Steam Railway operates steam trains from Paignton to Kingswear, from where a ferry can be taken across the River Dart to Dartmouth. The line was closed by British Rail during the cutbacks of the Beeching era in the 1960s, and is operated today as a heritage railway line. Suttons Seeds, a major supplier of seeds, bulbs and horticultural products, is based in Paignton. Source : www.wikipedia.org.uk
Local Attractions :
Compton Castle : http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-comptoncastle
Paignton and Dartmouth Steam Railway : www.paignton-steamrailway.co.uk
Paignton Zoo Environmental Park : www.paigntonzoo.org.uk
Other Popular Attractions in Devon