Babbacombe
{{Short description|District of Torquay, Devon, England}}
{{for|the convicted murderer|John 'Babbacombe' Lee}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{Infobox UK place
|country = England
|static_image = Oddicombe.jpg
|static_image_caption=Oddicombe Beach from Babbacombe Downs
|coordinates = {{coord|50.47|-03.52|display=inline,title}}
|official_name =Babbacombe
|population =
|shire_district= Torbay
|shire_county= Devon
|metropolitan_borough=
| metropolitan_county =
|region=South West England
|constituency_westminster=
|post_town= Torquay
|postcode_district = TQ1
|postcode_area=TQ
|dial_code=
|os_grid_reference= SX9265
}}
Babbacombe{{cite web|title = Babbacombe website | url = http://babbacombe.com/}} is a district of Torquay, Devon, England. It is notable for Babbacombe Model Village,{{cite web | title = Babbacombe Model Village | url = http://www.model-village.co.uk/}} the Babbacombe Theatre{{cite web | title = Babbacombe Theatre | url =http://www.babbacombe-theatre.com}} and its clifftop green, Babbacombe Downs, from which Oddicombe Beach is accessed via Babbacombe Cliff Railway.{{cite web| title = Babbacombe Cliff Railway | url = http://babbacombecliffrailway.co.uk/}} Frequent buses connect Babbacombe with Torquay town centre while service 22 operates between Dawlish Warren and South Devon College.
Churches and schools
File:All Saints' church, Babbacombe - geograph.org.uk - 1303055.jpg
The Church of All Saints was designed by the architect William Butterfield and built in 1868-74 under the aegis of Rev. John Hewett whose initiative it had been to build it.{{cite web |title=Church History |url=https://allsaintsbabbacombe.co.uk/church-history |website=All Saints Church, Babbacombe |publisher=All Saints Church |access-date=6 August 2022}} It is in the Neogothic style and has fine polychrome stonework in the font, pulpit and the chancel floor made from Devon marble. All Saints Church belongs to the Anglo-Catholic tradition within the Church of England, and its parish is one of those in the Diocese of Exeter. The first vicar was Fr. John Hewitt, whose ministry began when the church was founded and continued to his retirement in 1910.{{cite web |url=http://www.allsaintsbabbacombe.org.uk/ |title=All Saints Babbacombe |accessdate=2012-03-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101114133704/http://www.allsaintsbabbacombe.org.uk/ |archive-date=14 November 2010 |url-status=dead }}
Babbacombe has a primary school, All Saints Babbacombe Church of England Primary School.{{Cite web |url=http://www.babbacombe-primary.torbay.sch.uk/ |title=All Saints Babbacombe C of E Primary School |access-date=2012-03-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120527075319/http://www.babbacombe-primary.torbay.sch.uk/ |archive-date=2012-05-27 |url-status=dead }}
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Babbacombe Downs
Babbacombe Downs is the most picturesque part of Babbacombe having fabulous views over Lyme bay. From Babbacombe Downs there is easy access using cliff paths to Oddicombe beach and Babbacombe beach.
Notable people
Rev. John Hewett was Vicar of Babbacombe and founded the church there.
The actress and dancer Rosina Vokes (1854-1894) died in Babbacombe.
References
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