The best way to travel around Kingsbridge in the 19th century was by boat. Although a rough lane wound round the muddy creeks the most direct route was by water. The Kingsbridge estuary was important for trade and the ‘Kingsbridge Packet’ a paddle steamer launched in 1857 figured prominently. Twice a week she ran between Kingsbridge, Salcombe, and Sutton Harbour Plymouth carrying goods. From the ships in Plymouth she would transfer sugar, coffee, meat, coal and the like up to the tradesmen in Kingsbridge . Down the years the estuary had seen a number of paddle steamers coming and going from New Quay. One such, the ‘South Hams Trader’ came into service in 1880 but the owners ran out of money and compulsory powers were used to force a sale to pay off debts. The ‘South Hams Trader’ somehow ended her life in Lagos where in 1889 she was sunk and became a breakwater on the Brass River. The last three paddle steamers on the Kingsbridge Estuary followed the Dart pattern for nomenclature. ‘Salcombe Castle’ arrived in 1889, ‘Ilton Castle’ in 1906, and finally ‘Kenwith Castle’ built in Plymouth in the same year as the Compton Castle. But by 1930 buses had taken so much trade from the river that the 'Kenwith Castle’ had become uneconomic and was laid up. She was sold off the estuary in 1932 and the paddle steamer era came to a close. Until now!