Lovely Little Dartmouth, A Time Capsule

A Memory of Dartmouth.

My uncle, Reginald, always called Dartmouth, "The Town That Time Forgot". And he meant that in a good way because Dartmouth was largely unchanged over the years and of course, as a result, is now quite the tourist attraction. My Grandmother, Mary Georgina Tillyard, and my Granddad, George Tillyard, lived at "Sunnyside" 8, Above Town in Dartmouth from just after WWII until their passing. Gran's brother, William Saunders, and his wife Sarah lived nearby at 9 Horn Hill Steps, and her sister Leane Harvey lived just down the way out toward the castle at 51 Above Town.

I was there on holiday with my mum twice in the 1950's and again in 1969. Dartmouth was just such a charming town. I remember St. Savior's Church vividly and of course Dartmouth Castle; not to mention the New Ground, the Boat Float and of course the Railway Station that never saw a train. But I also remember with great fondness all the individual little shops near the Boat Float. I remember gran going to the butcher and then to the fishmonger and then to the bakery and the green grocers. She new all of the vendors personally so it wasn't like grocery shopping today; it was a social visit as well. I remember the distinct aromas of the fresh meat, fish, produce and baked goods. You don't get that anymore with everything wrapped and packaged. And of course, being a child back then, I remember the Pillar Shop with all of it's wonderful William Britains toy soldiers, not to mention all of the Dinkey Toys and Matchbox toys. I remember too the scent of the salt sea air and the delightful cry of the seagulls. I remember market day when local farmers would come into town with livestock and vegetables and sell them in the market place. I also remember the marvelous steam trains and steam ferry boats that shuttled us from Kingswear to Dartmouth. And I remember stopping for a quick lunch of tea and Cornish pasties or perhaps some fish n chips wrapped correctly in newspaper.

What wonderful memories indeed.

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