Seaton, Devon

[1] A sea wall provides access to the mostly shingle beach stretching for about a mile, and a small harbour on the River Axe estuary.

Seaton was an important port for several centuries, supplying ships and sailors for Edward I's wars against Scotland and France.

In the 14th century heavy storms caused a landslip which partially blocked the estuary, and the shingle bank started to build up.

Seaton's nearest railway station is at Axminster (around 7 miles (11 km) away) on the West of England line linking Exeter to London Waterloo.

The agricultural landscape supports areas of ancient woodland (often with displays of bluebells), important networks of hedges, unimproved grassland and springline mires.

This large area of coastal landslides and cliffs supports important woodland and grassland habitats and is of considerable significance for its geology.

The Axe Estuary and its marshes are important for wintering wildfowl and waders, such as Eurasian curlew and common redshank, while in the summer butterflies and dragonflies abound.

Seaton Tramway offers a 3 miles (4.8 km) ride through the Axe and Coly valleys to Colyford and Colyton.

[15] Pecorama,2 miles (3.2 km) west of Seaton at Beer, is a tourist attraction by the model railway manufacturer Peco.

This was a time travelling experience telling the story of the natural heritage of the Jurassic Coast past and present.

[16] The attraction closed in September 2021,[17] but has a current planned reopening under the name Jurassic Discovery, now operated by Seaton Tramway.

The soft play and cafe area opened at the new centre in March 2024 with the rest of the building planned to launch later in the year.

[18] Its position next to floodplains and hemmed in by hills on either side means expansion is difficult and has hampered growth of local employment.

In 2010 redevelopment of a large portion of the town commenced with new business sites providing a surge in non-seasonal employment.

The sea front
The harbour