Salcombe Hill near Sidmouth

This view of Salcombe Hill is taken from across the bay, overlooking the small town of Sidmouth. Sidmouth was a small fishing village which, by the end of the 18th century had become moderately popular as a sea-bathing resort. It never attracted large scale development, and the sea front had old cottages and some newer Georgian terraces. Salcombe Hill is a the cliff behind the town. There was also the separate maritime settlement of Salcombe. By the late 18th century, there were a number of gentlemen's houses built on the cliff slopes overlooking the estuary.