IChurch · listed 1951Parish Church of St John the BaptistPhoto: Tom Jolliffe · CC BY-SA 2.0
Kirkham House · Photo: Ianmacm · CC BY-SA 4.0B+History Grade
History of Paignton · Historic England
207 listed buildings, 1 of them Grade I
On the Historic England list, all of them stand inside Paignton’s built-up area, 31 for every 10,000 residents. It also has 1 scheduled monument. We have photos of 10 of its listed buildings and 3 old views of the town. 19% of its homes were built before 1919. Paignton grades B+ for history: #29 of 47 in Devon.
Listed buildings
207
31 per 10,000 residents
Grade I
1
exceptional interest
Grade II*
6
more than special interest
Scheduled monuments
1
1 registered park or garden
Homes built before 1919
19%
typical UK town 15%
In pictures
Paignton in 14 photos and old views
Nearly every Grade I and II* building, photographed, and the town before 1950. Tap a photo to step through them full screen.
Parish Church of St John the BaptistGrade I listed
Oldway MansionGrade II* listed
Cockington AlmshousesGrade II listed
Old Brewery BuildingGrade II listed
The Coach House Public HouseGrade II listed+9See all photosPhotos from Wikimedia Commons and Geograph, copied to our own server, each credited to its photographer with its licence; names open the building’s page or its official list entry.
Through time
Paignton from 1890 to 1905
3 old photos and postcards, in date order. All public domain, made before 1950.
c. 1890
c. 1890
1905Public domain, from Wikimedia Commons, copied to our own server. Each credit opens the image’s page with its full description and history.
The map
Where Paignton’s history is
Every Grade I and II* building, monument and historic park, over the age of each neighbourhood’s homes.
Grade IGrade II*Scheduled monumentPark or garden
Homes built before 1919, by neighbourhoodunder 10%10–25%25–50%50%+
7 of 45neighbourhoods have mostly pre-1919 homes; in the oldest, 79% were built before 1919.
Hover a dot for its name; tap one with a photo to open it.
207 listed buildings by grade
1 Grade I6 Grade II*200 Grade II
Historic England lists buildings in three grades: Grade I for buildings of exceptional interest (about 2.5% of all listed buildings), Grade II* for particularly important buildings of more than special interest (about 5.8%), and Grade II for buildings of special interest (about 91.7%). Listing protects the whole building, inside and out.
Every entry on the National Heritage List for England whose point lies inside the ONS 2022 built-up-area boundary. One list entry can cover a terrace or a group of buildings. Neighbourhood dots: the population-weighted centre of each Census 2021 output area, coloured by its neighbourhood’s (LSOA’s) share of homes built before 1919 (Valuation Office Agency, March 2025).
Grade I
The Grade I listed building in Paignton
Buildings of exceptional interest, about 2.5% of all listed buildings. Every one is photographed. Each opens its own page, with the official list entry.
Grade II*
The 6 Grade II* listed buildings in Paignton
Particularly important buildings of more than special interest. Every one is photographed.
II*House · listed 1951Kirkham HousePhoto: Ianmacm · CC BY-SA 4.0
II*House · listed 1951Oldway MansionPhoto: Tom Jolliffe · CC BY-SA 2.0
II*Walls & gates · listed 1951Bishop's PalaceOn the list as Bishops Palace Walls and TowerPhoto: Tom Jolliffe · CC BY-SA 2.0
II*Church · listed 1972Church of St MatthewPhoto: Paul Hutchinson · CC BY-SA 2.0
II*House · listed 1991Torbay Picture HouseOn the list as Torbay CinemaPhoto: Ianmacm · Public domain
II*House · listed 1975163, Newton RoadPhoto: Geof Sheppard · CC BY-SA 4.0
Historic streets
Winner Street has the most listed buildings
Streets by the listed entries with an address on them. One entry can be a whole terrace, so long rows count once.
Winner Street15 listed
Fisher Street5 listed
Lower Polsham Road5 listed
Totnes Road4 listed
Of the 207 entries, 50 are named by a street address; the rest are named buildings such as churches, halls and bridges.
What’s protected
Most of Paignton’s listed buildings are homes
Every listed building sorted by what its list name says it is.
Houses, terraces & villas121
Walls, gates & bridges40
Inns, shops & warehouses18
Churches, chapels & priories13
Public & civic buildings11
Street furniture3
Memorials, crosses & tombs1
121 entries (58%) are houses, terraces and villas. 13 are churches, chapels and priories, including 1 of the 1 Grade I buildings.
Buildings are sorted by words in each entry’s name (church, gate, inn, memorial…): the list’s open data has no building type. An entry named only by its address counts as a house.
Grade II
200 Grade II listed buildings
Most listed buildings are in this grade, which covers buildings of special interest. Open any building to read its official list entry.
The first 150 of 200 Grade II listed buildings, A to Z
Ambrook Little Ambrook Lower AmbrookBarn Approximately 12 Metres South East of Lanscombe Farm Cottages Including Outhouses Attached to North WestBarn Approximately 48 Metres South East of Lanscombe Farm CottagesBarn Approximately 5 Metres North West of Home FarmhouseBarn Immediately to South West of Yalberton FarmhouseBarn South West of Shiphay Manor (Shiphay Manor Not Included)Barn on North East Side of South West Farmyard at Edginswell FarmhouseBarn, Linhay and Stable South of Higher Yalberton FarmhouseBelgrave HouseBoundary Wall Adjoining to North of the StudioBoundary Walls and Gate Piers to North of Parish Church of Christ ChurchBoundary Walls, Gate Piers and Gates to Tower House SchoolCalf House at North West End of South West Farmyard at Edginswell FarmhouseCart Shed Immediately North East of Elberry FarmhouseChantry Cottage Kirkham CottageChelston Cottage and Attached WallChelston Drinking Fountain and Railings Enclosing GreenChelston Manor HotelChurchyard Cross to South East of Parish Church of St John the BaptistChurchyard Lamp South of the Parish Church of Christ ChurchChurchyard Lamp to South of the Vestry of Church of St John the BaptistChurchyard Wall to Church of St John the Baptist Churchyard Walls to the Church of St John the BaptistCider Barn at Higher Yalberton FarmCider House/Cartshed on South Side of South West Farmyard at Edginswell FarmCliff CottageCockington AlmshousesCollaton FarmhouseCourt CottagesCourtyard Arch and Screen Walls at West End of Oldway Mansion CourtyardDarley CottageEaton Place (Terrace)Edginswell FarmhouseEdginswell HallEffordsElberry Farmhouse Including Front Garden WallsEntrance Gates and Pavilions at Recreation Ground Entrance Pavilions and Gates at Recreation GroundFarm Buildings to North East and North West of Elberry Farmhouse Including Walls, Gates and PiersFern BankFormer Riding School and Banqueting House at Oldway MansionGarden House to North of ParkfieldGarden Steps Approximately 10 Metres East of the Drum Public HouseGarden Steps Approximately 60 Metres South East of the Drum Public HouseGarden Walls Adjoining to South East of Lanscombe HouseGarden Walls and Gate Piers to East of Tresillian and MoffatsGarden Walls and Gate Piers to Nos 9, 11 and 13Garden Walls and Gate Piers to Ochiltree HouseGarden Walls to East of Myrtle Cottage Garden Walls to Myrtle CottageGate Piers, Gates and Garden Walls to ParkfieldGrotto South East of Oldway MansionHarbour Light RestaurantHennapyn Road Bridge Immediately South of Torquay StationHigher Cottage Including Outhouse Adjoining to North WestHigher LodgeHigher Yalberton Farmhouse and Attached Outbuilding to EastHill CottageHolly CottageHolme House and Greta CottageHome FarmhouseHydrinaIce House West of Chelston CottageIvy CottageKirkham GarageLamp Standard Immediately West of Courtyard Archway at Oldway MansionLamp West of West Door of Church of St John the BaptistLamp to North of the North Door of the Church of St John the BaptistLamp to South of the South Porch of the Church of St John the BaptistLanscombe Farm Cottages Including Butterwell Adjoining South East End of FrontLanscombe Farmhouse Orchard ViewLanscombe HouseLanscombe Lodge Cottage and Adjoining StablesLinhay and Wall Approximately 28 Metres South East of Lanscombe Farm CottagesLinhay on South Side of North East Farmyard at Edginswell FarmhouseLinhay on South West Side of South West Farmyard at Edginswell FarmLittle OldwayLych Gate and Pedestrian Gate to the Church of St John the BaptistManor House HotelMelbourne Tower Hotel and Tower Hall HotelMethodist ChurchMoffats TresillianMyrtle CottageNo 2 and Attached Walls and Piers to Front GardenNo 4 and Attached Walls and Piers to Front GardenNo 55 Including Attached Wall and RailingsNo. 30, OLD TORQUAY ROADNos 12 and 14 and Attached Railings to No 14Nos 2 and 4 and Attached Garden Walls to No 2Nos 45-51 (Odd) Including Screen Walls, Oubuilding and Courtyard WallNos 80, 80A, 80B, 80C Including Walls to Rear CourtyardNos 82 and 84 Including Rear Courtyard WallsOld Brewery BuildingOutbuilding Approximately 1.5 Metres North East of Rose CottageOuthouses Approximately 20 Metres North of the MillPaignton Clink and Adjoining WallsPaignton Community CollegePaignton WindmillParish Church of Christ ChurchParish Church of St AndrewParkfield Inlcuding Walls to Walled Garden to NorthPenny CottagePepperpot CottagePlanned Farmyard West of Collaton FarmhousePolsham CottagePrimley HouseRedcliffe HotelRose CottageRuinous Walls to South West of the Parish Church of St John of BaptistShippon Approximately 10 Metres West of Home FarmhouseShippon Approximately 30 Metres South East of Lanscombe Farm CottagesShippon and Cider House at West End of North East Farmyard at Edginswell FarmhouseShippon/Stable on East Side of South West Farmyard at Edginswell FarmShorton FarmhouseShorton ManorSign Post Approximately 40 Metres East of the Drum Public HouseSignal Box at South End of East Platform at Torquay StationSouthfield Methodist Church and Chapel HouseStable Approximately 42 Metres North West of Home FarmhouseStable Block, Laundry and Service Yard Wall Immediately East of ParkfieldTelephone Kiosk at Sx 8940 6385Terrace Wall with 14 Urns to Terrace East and South East of Oldway MansionTerrace Wall, Steps and Statue South East of Oldway MansionTerrace Walls, And Rustic Seat at South End of South Garden at Oldway MansionThe Coach House Public HouseThe Drum Public HouseThe ForgeThe Globe InnThe MillThe Old Manor InnThe Old Well House Public HouseThe Paignton ClubThe Polsham ArmsThe StudioThe Thatched HouseThe Torbay InnThe VicarageThe Victoria HotelThreshing Barn on North East Side of North East Farmyard at Edginswell FarmhouseTor View Holiday FlatsTorbay Hospital ChapelTorquay StationTower House SchoolTurnpike Cottage at Windy CornerUnited Reformed Church and Adjoining SchoolWall and Railings to Garden North of No 47Walls and Pump to South of Kirkham HouseWalls of Paignton HarbourWalls to Court East and North Eat of Oldway Mansion, Including Pair of SphinxesWalls to Entrance to Oldway MansionWalls, Gate Piers and Gates to Parish Church of St AndrewWalls, Steps and Sphinxes to Garden South of Oldway MansionWeavers Cottage
Conservation areas
7 conservation areas cover 8.1% of Paignton
Areas the council protects as a whole: demolition and changes to how buildings look need consent, and trees are protected.
Chelston 197850 ha
Old Paignton 197632 ha
Roundham and Paignton Harbour 198525 ha
Cockington 197019 ha
Polsham Park 20019 ha
Shorton 19894 ha
Belgravia 19884 ha
143 hain conservation areas, of 1,773 ha inside the built-up area.
The first, Cockington, was designated in 1970; the newest, Polsham Park, in 2001. 150 of the 207 listed buildings stand in one.
Historic England’s conservation areas layer, supplied by councils (incomplete in places, so a page fact, never graded). Hectares are the part of each area inside the built-up area.
How the list grew
96 of Paignton’s 207 listed buildings were added in 1975
The year each building now on the list was first listed.
1975 · 961993 · 471994 · 19
19501960197019801990200020102020
The first 17 entries were listed in 1951, 1 of the 1 Grade I buildings among them. 96 came in 1975, in the national resurvey of the 1970s and 80s. Only 0 have been added in the last 15 years.
Monuments & landscapes
Monuments, parks and gardens
Designations that overlap the town by a tenth of their area or half a hectare.
1 scheduled monument
Nationally important archaeological sites and monuments, protected by law; work on them needs consent from the Secretary of State, advised by Historic England.
1 registered park or garden
Oldway MansionGrade II
History Grade
Paignton grades B+ for history
Protected heritage and the age of the town’s homes, against all UK towns.
Protected heritage, for its size and in all (218 points, 32 per 10,000 residents)More than 69% of UK towns
Homes built before 1919 (19%)More than 58% of UK towns
Two measures, each ranked against every UK town of 1,000 or more, with protected heritage counting twice as much as the age of homes. Protected heritage counts each listed building by its grade (Grade I three points, II* two, II one), each scheduled monument and battlefield two, and each registered park or garden by its grade; it is ranked both per 10,000 residents and as a total, so a village with one fine church doesn’t outrank a historic city. The second measure is the share of homes built before 1919, from the Valuation Office Agency’s council tax records. History is a character grade: it describes the town and isn’t part of the overall grade.
Born here
5 notable people born in Paignton before 1900
Their lives on one timeline, earliest first.
Samuel Chapin
George Vance
Augustus F. Goodridge
Patrick Brind
Thomas Wand-Tetley
155016001650170017501800185019001950
Augustus F. Goodridge1839–1920 · Canadian politician
Patrick Brind1892–1963 · Royal Navy admiral (1892-1963)
Samuel Chapin1598–1675 · American settler
GV
George Vance1814– · English cricketer
TW
Thomas Wand-Tetley1898–1956 · British modern pentathlete (1898–1956)
Everyone born in Paignton → Birthplaces from Wikidata; portraits from Wikimedia Commons.
Neighbours
Listed buildings in the places around Paignton
| Town | People | Listed | Grade I | History |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paignton | 67,509 | 207 | 1 | B+ |
| Marldon | 2,073 | 13 | 1 | C+ |
| Torquay | 52,034 | 369 | 5 | A |
| Stoke Gabriel | 1,340 | 16 | 1 | A− |
| Kingskerswell | 3,761 | 27 | 0 | B |
| Brixham | 17,839 | 198 | 0 | A |
| Ipplepen | 2,150 | 30 | 1 | A− |
| Abbotskerswell | 1,182 | 28 | 0 | B+ |
In brief
Paignton in brief
The official list counts 207 listed buildings in Paignton, 1 of them Grade I, including Parish Church of St John the Baptist. Winner Street alone has 15 listed buildings. Its older streets lie in 7 conservation areas, the first designated in 1970.
Most entries on the list, 58%, are houses, terraces and villas. Augustus F. Goodridge (1839), Patrick Brind (1892) and Samuel Chapin (1598) are among the 5 people born here before 1900. Beyond that, it has one Grade I building, about typical for a town its size (the middle one has 1); per resident it sits near the middle of UK towns; and it also has a scheduled monument.
Questions about Paignton’s history
How many listed buildings are there in Paignton?
Historic England lists 207 buildings inside Paignton’s built-up area: 1 Grade I, 6 Grade II* and 200 Grade II.
What are the Grade I listed buildings in Paignton?
One: Parish Church of St John the Baptist.
Which street in Paignton has the most listed buildings?
Winner Street (15), Fisher Street (5) and Lower Polsham Road (5) have the most listed entries named by an address. One entry can be a whole terrace.
Are there scheduled monuments in Paignton?
Yes, 1 scheduled monument, including The Bishop's Palace, Tower Road.
How many conservation areas are there in Paignton?
7, covering about 143 hectares of the town. The largest are Chelston and Old Paignton.
When were Paignton’s buildings listed?
The first in 1951; the most, 96, in 1975.
Are there old photos of Paignton?
Yes: 3 public-domain photos and postcards from 1890 to 1905, all on this page.
Who was born in Paignton?
Among people born before 1900: Augustus F. Goodridge (1839), Patrick Brind (1892), Samuel Chapin (1598), George Vance (1814) and Thomas Wand-Tetley (1898).
How old are the homes in Paignton?
19% of homes were built before 1919 and 39% before 1940, from the Valuation Office Agency’s council tax records (March 2025).
© Historic England 2026. Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. The National Heritage List for England is the official, up-to-date register of all nationally protected historic buildings and sites in England; check an entry on Historic England’s website before relying on it.
Sources: Historic England, National Heritage List for England (listed buildings, scheduled monuments, registered parks and gardens, battlefields, World Heritage Sites), October 2026, inside the ONS 2022 built-up-area boundary · Valuation Office Agency, Council Tax: stock of properties by build period (31 March 2025) · TownRatings grades: our own summary of the data, ranked against UK towns only · Historic England conservation areas (supplied by local planning authorities; October 2026). All under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2026 (ONS boundaries). Northern Ireland: Source: NISRA; contains Land & Property Services data and Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland information, © Crown copyright, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Scotland: contains National Records of Scotland data, Registers of Scotland data and SEPA data, © Crown copyright / © SEPA 2025, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.