Paignton is a seaside town on the coast of
Tor Bay in
Devon, England. Together with
Torquay and
Brixham it forms the
unitary authority of
Torbay which was created in 1998. The Torbay area is a holiday destination known as the English Riviera. Paignton's population in the
United Kingdom Census of 2011 was 49,021. It has origins as a
Celtic settlement and was first mentioned in 1086. It grew as a small fishing village and a new harbour was built in 1847. A railway line was opened to passengers in 1859 creating links to Torquay and London. As its population increased, it merged with the villages of
Goodrington and
Preston.