Torpoint
Torpoint's link to Plymouth (and Devonport) is facilitated by three passenger and vehicle ferries. The current ferries are propelled across the river by pulling themselves on chains. These chains sink to the bottom to allow shipping movements in the river. The ferry journey takes approximately 7 minutes.
It is a common tale that Torpoint's name is derived from Tar Point, a name given because of the initial industry on the west bank of the Hamoaze. However this is actually a nickname given by workers, Torpoint meaning "rocky headland".
Torpoint is an eighteenth century planned town. The grid-based design for the town was commissioned by Reginald Carew Pole in the Parish of St Antony in 1774. His family continued to have a strong influence in the area, having become the Carew Poles, and still reside at their family seat, Antony House.
Due to the presence of Devonport Dockyard, the town grew as Dockyard workers settled there, this boosted the number of inhabitants. The establishment of the Royal Navy's main training facility, HMS Raleigh is also a situated to the west of Torpoint further increasing the population.
