Starcross
Encyclopedia
Starcross is a riverside village with a population of 1,780, situated on the west bank of the estuary
of the River Exe
in Teignbridge
in the English
county of Devon
. The village is popular in summer with leisure craft, and is home to one of the United Kingdom's oldest sailing clubs.
The A379 road
and the London to Penzance railway line
both run through the village along the banks of the estuary. Starcross railway station
is situated on the railway, and the Starcross to Exmouth Ferry
, a small passenger ferry
, operates across the estuary to Exmouth
.
A notable feature of Starcross is the Italianate pumping engine house, the best surviving building from Brunel
's unsuccessful Atmospheric Railway
. The enterprise is commemorated in the Atmospheric Railway pub located opposite the present-day railway station. Note that the Brunel pumphouse now houses the Starcross Fishing and Cruising Club rather than a museum dedicated to the atmospheric railway, as quoted in many guide books.
St. Paul's Church is found on Church Street, opposite the Almshouses. It was mentioned in Piggott and Co.'s pocket atlas, topography and gazetteer of England 1840 as St. Paul's Chapel of Ease.
Powderham Castle
is also located north of the village on the A379 road
towards the village of Kenton
.
Estuary
An estuary is a partly enclosed coastal body of water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea....
of the River Exe
River Exe
The River Exe in England rises near the village of Simonsbath, on Exmoor in Somerset, near the Bristol Channel coast, but flows more or less directly due south, so that most of its length lies in Devon. It reaches the sea at a substantial ria, the Exe Estuary, on the south coast of Devon...
in Teignbridge
Teignbridge
Teignbridge is a local government district in Devon, England. Its council is based in Newton Abbot.Other towns in the district include Ashburton, Dawlish and Teignmouth...
in the English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
county of Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
. The village is popular in summer with leisure craft, and is home to one of the United Kingdom's oldest sailing clubs.
The A379 road
A379 road
The A379 is a road in the English county of Devon. It links points on the edges of that county's two principal cities, Exeter and Plymouth, by an indirect and largely coastal route....
and the London to Penzance railway line
Exeter to Plymouth Line
The Exeter to Plymouth line is a central part of the trunk railway line between London Paddington and Penzance railway stations in the southern United Kingdom. It is a major branch of the Great Western Main Line and runs from Exeter, to Plymouth, from where it continues as the Cornish Main Line...
both run through the village along the banks of the estuary. Starcross railway station
Starcross railway station
Starcross railway station is a small station on the Exeter to Plymouth line in the village of Starcross, Devon, England. It is on the shore of the River Exe estuary and is linked to a pier used by the ferry to Exmouth on the other side of the estuary...
is situated on the railway, and the Starcross to Exmouth Ferry
Exmouth to Starcross Ferry
The Exmouth to Starcross Ferry is a passenger ferry which crosses the mouth of the River Exe in the English county of Devon. It links the town of Exmouth on the eastern side of the Exe estuary to the village of Starcross on the western side. The ferry is operated by Exe to Sea Cruises.The ferry...
, a small passenger ferry
Ferry
A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
, operates across the estuary to Exmouth
Exmouth, Devon
Exmouth is a port town, civil parish and seaside resort in East Devon, England, sited on the east bank of the mouth of the River Exe. In 2001, it had a population of 32,972.-History:...
.
A notable feature of Starcross is the Italianate pumping engine house, the best surviving building from Brunel
Isambard Kingdom Brunel
Isambard Kingdom Brunel, FRS , was a British civil engineer who built bridges and dockyards including the construction of the first major British railway, the Great Western Railway; a series of steamships, including the first propeller-driven transatlantic steamship; and numerous important bridges...
's unsuccessful Atmospheric Railway
Atmospheric railway
An atmospheric railway uses air pressure to provide power for propulsion. In one plan a pneumatic tube is laid between the rails, with a piston running in it suspended from the train through a sealable slot in the top of the tube. Alternatively, the whole tunnel may be the pneumatic tube with the...
. The enterprise is commemorated in the Atmospheric Railway pub located opposite the present-day railway station. Note that the Brunel pumphouse now houses the Starcross Fishing and Cruising Club rather than a museum dedicated to the atmospheric railway, as quoted in many guide books.
St. Paul's Church is found on Church Street, opposite the Almshouses. It was mentioned in Piggott and Co.'s pocket atlas, topography and gazetteer of England 1840 as St. Paul's Chapel of Ease.
Powderham Castle
Powderham Castle
Powderham Castle is located south of Exeter, Devon, England. The Powderham Estate, in which it is set, runs down to the western shores of the estuary of the River Exe between the villages of Kenton and Starcross....
is also located north of the village on the A379 road
A379 road
The A379 is a road in the English county of Devon. It links points on the edges of that county's two principal cities, Exeter and Plymouth, by an indirect and largely coastal route....
towards the village of Kenton
Kenton, Devon
Kenton is a small village located near Exeter, the capital of Devon, England.Kenton is known for its mediæval castle, Powderham Castle, where the Earl of Devon once settled in. Powderham Castle was built between 1390 and 1420 by Sir Philip Courtenay...
.