Waypoint 8 – Victoria Road

Ropewalk (Victoria Road)

A ropewalk is a long straight narrow lane, or a covered pathway, where long strands of material were laid before being twisted into rope. Victoria Road is where Topsham once had a ropewalk in the past. It is a common street name today, often for a street built on the site of the old ropewalk.

Rope was a vital component for ship builders being used in rigging. This site was occupied by Follet’s Ropemakers.

Ropemaking is a process of twisting fibres together to create an extremely strong cable. There are two parts to the process, forming and closing. Forming starts with banks of yarn that are twisted and compressed into one strand. Three of these strands are then moved onto the closing machine. This wraps each of the cables together along the ropewalk.

Topsham once had a vibrant ship building industry. Throughout its history it provided ships for the Royal Navy and commercial ships carrying cargo across the world. Each of those ships needed a lot of rope. An 18th century first rate ship of the line would need around 31 miles of rope, 20 miles for its rigging alone. This ropewalk is a quarter of a mile long, long enough to make 220 metre lengths of rope. This length is enough to anchor a ship in 70 metres of water.

All aboard for your next stop halfway down Strand
Head back, keeping left and head towards White Street. Head down White Street and turn left at the end. Travel down Fore Street to cross the roundabout to connect with Strand. Travel along Strand passing the museum until you reach Strand Court.