Welcome to Kingskerswell

Welcome to Kingskerswell

Kingskerswell

Kingskerswell is situated halfway between the lively market town of Newton Abbot and the scenic coastal towns of Torquay and Paignton, offering a winning combination of a relatively quiet location and convenience. This has come about since the opening of the A380 South Devon Link Road which bypasses the village. The main road through the village is now far less used and is speed restricted. This has changed the ambience and increased the desirability considerably.

Referred to as ‘Carsuelle’ by the Normans and noted as having areas suitable for ploughing along with woodland, it would have been a primarily agricultural community. It probably expanded as a linear settlement along the route between Newton Abbot and contemporary areas in modern day Torbay. This road through the village is now known as Fore Street. This is where you can find some of the older properties in the village, shops and other facilities. The 14th-century St. Mary's Church is nearby; its ancient architecture is impressive. Within its grounds can be seen the remaining walls of a medieval manor house and associated outbuildings, suggesting the area was of some importance at that time. Like most of South Devon, the area was mainly agricultural however a water mill and forge were certainly present at some point. With the industrial revolution came change. Significant economic improvement and population increase would have occurred after Kingskerswell got its own railway station in 1853. This was approximately 5 years after the railway was built through Kingskerswell and after successful petitioning by the villagers. The village subsequently enjoyed a period of expansion. This stalled during the first and second wars when unfortunately, many, mainly men, from the village were lost. They have been commemorated on the memorial on Fore Street. Between and after the wars there was an increase in tourism, at the height of which Kingskerswell provided accommodation for the overspill from increasingly popular Torbay. Many properties found a use as guest houses and small hotels. The Railway station closed in 1964 although the platforms still exist. Since the 1980s much of the holiday accommodation has been turned back into private residences.   

Modern day Kingskerswell offers a range of amenities including: health centre, shops, village hall, sports field with pavilion, C of E primary school rated good by Ofsted, and five public houses including the Hare and Hounds, which has been serving a fabulous carvery for decades. Other pubs in the village are known for their welcome and food. A modern Aldi has just opened just outside the village. The property stock comprises a diverse range of housing with everything from enchanting thatched cottages, bungalows and fabulous detached homes, some with acreage, available. Generally speaking, property prices in Kingskerswell are in the mid-priced range compared with similar homes across Teignbridge. We consider this area to be very much up and coming due to the bypass. Further development and improvement are likely over the next few years. Purchasing and upgrading is popular due to the style and large plots of some properties.