Named for its setting at the mouth of the River Char, Charmouth lies on England’s UNESCO World Heritage-listed Jurassic Coast. It was originally settled by the Durotriges in the Iron Age and developed into a 19th-century coastal resort, among whose visitors was the novelist Jane Austen.
One of Charmouth’s most notable buildings is Abbots House, a 16th-century residence formerly known as the Queens Armes Hotel. It famously sheltered King Charles II in 1651 as he sought to escape to France following his defeat at the Battle of Worcester. Shop for locally made gifts at the nearby Herringbone gallery or feast on the day’s catch at the Charmouth Fish Bar.
Occupying a disused cement factory overlooking the beach is the Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre, which serves to educate visitors about the uniqueness of the Jurassic Coast. In addition to its incredible collection of fossils, there are replica dinosaurs and the ichthyosaur featured in the BBC documentary “Attenborough and the Sea Dragon”.
Getting there
Charmouth is around 45 minutes’ drive from Exeter and 35 minutes from Exeter Airport, which has flights to destinations across Europe. Regular buses connect to Charmouth and the village is small enough to explore on foot.