Pilgrim is Brixham born and bred

… and the history of Brixham is the history of fishing.

The role of Brixham as a fishing port is mentioned in the Domesday Book. By medieval times the port had strong trade in smoked and cured fish.

At the end of the eighteenth century the fishing industry in Brixham boomed when the method of catching fish by trawling along the seabed with a weighted net was successfully developed.  It was deep-sea fishing that developed the Harbour area in the nineteenth century.  The arrival of rail and development of industrial ice-making expanded the market for fresh fish far beyond the local city markets of Exeter and Plymouth.

The Brixham trawling fleet was the largest in England, with the fleet in the early 1900s being more than 300 trawlers under sail.  As motor trawlers took over in the mid-century the sailing trawlers mostly succumbed to decades of hard service with just a handful of the historic boats left today.

The Brixham trawlers’ tall gaff rig gave the vessel sufficient speed to make long-distance trips out to the fishing grounds in the ocean. They were also powerful enough to be able to tow large trawls in deep water, and with a hold large enough to carry the catch home.

Fishing from Brixham continues today in the western approaches – along the English Channel to beyond the Scilly Islands –  with the catch landings in Brixham today being the highest value of any port in England.

Visiting Brixham today

Today Brixham is a lively commercial fishing harbour with an enviable tourist offering with much to see and do shore-side.  Many of the buildings around the harbour have historic and fishing connections.  At the end of the heritage pontoon, where Pilgrim is berthed, is Grenville House which was built in the 1850s as an orphanage for boys of British Seamen – many of whom who would go on to work on trawlers as young teenagers.

The modern harbour and fishing fleet are still an important focal point, and tours of the fishmarket are available (seasonally dependent – more information at https://brixhamfishmarket.co.uk/brixham-fish-market-tours/

The Brixham Museum is a good place to visit to learn more about the historic port.https://www.brixhammuseum.uk/

And keep an eye on our News and Events pages and facebook for dates of open days and events to come aboard Pilgrim and learn more.

Torbay and Beyond

Tor Bay is known as the English Riviera and Brixham, along with Torquay and Paignton, provides the focal point for the culture and history of the Bay.  Visiting Pilgrim provides an exciting base to explore the area including visiting the many historic sites, beaches and gardens, and the globally unique geology of the UNESCO English Riviera Global Geopark.

Though most of our trips start or end in Brixham, Pilgrim sails the South coast and across the channel bringing guests and our living history to ports in England and France.