Sidmouth in historic gazetteers

Gazetteer of the British Isles (Edinburgh: Bartholomew, 1887). John Bartholomew

Sidmouth, watering-place, market town, and par. with ry. sta., Devon, at the mouth of the river Sid, 15 miles SE. of Exeter and 159 SW. of London, 1600 ac., pop. 3475; P.O., T.O., 1 Bank, 1 newspaper. Market-days, Tuesday and Saturday. Sidmouth was formerly an important seaport, and in the time of Edward III. sent two ships to the siege of Calais; but the harbour became choked up, and no craft can now approach the town except fishing smacks and pleasure boats. Sidmouth, which occupies a beautiful situation in a valley between two high hills (Peake Hill and Salcombe Down), was in the early part of the 19th century an important seaside resort. It was for a time very much neglected, but the opening of the railway (1874) has again made it one of the chief watering-places in Devon. The west window of the parish church (built 1259, restored 1860) was presented by Queen Victoria in memory of her father, the Duke of Kent, who died at Sidmouth in 1820.