A Saxon town at the head of the Teign Estuary
Kingsteignton is a town and civil parish in south Devon, in the Teignbridge district. It lies at the head of the Teign Estuary, to the west of Teignmouth. Its built-up area had 11,940 residents at the 2021 census.
The parish council changed Kingsteignton’s status to a town from 1 January 2009. It did so because it faced the threat of incorporation into nearby Newton Abbot. Even so, the town still uses Newton Abbot railway station, on the Exeter to Plymouth line. Homeowners here can read how much fitting air conditioning costs before booking a survey.
The kings of Wessex founded Kingsteignton in the early 8th century as the centre of a large Saxon estate. Danish raiders plundered it in 1001. Later, medieval wealth paid for the rebuilding of St Michael’s parish church, whose 85-foot tower dates from the 1480s.
Clay, limestone and the Ram Roasting fair
Fine ball clay lies on the eastern edge of the Bovey Basin near the town. Digging began in the late 17th century, when the clay proved ideal for making pipes. In particular, Josiah Wedgwood first bought Kingsteignton clay in 1791. Over the past 200 years, clay mining has brought steady work to the town.
Limestone was also quarried around Rydon, and Kingsteignton Quarry supplied stone for Buckfast Abbey. Today, that quarry lies infilled. Meanwhile, some old limekilns still survive along the valleys near the town. Residents weighing up cooling for the first time may want our guide to whether it is worth installing.
The town is best known for its annual Ram Roasting fair. According to legend, a drought left too little water to baptise a child, so villagers offered a ram to the spring. Water flowed again, and the town has roasted a ram ever since. Today the fair takes place on the late May bank holiday.
What an installation here tends to involve
Properties near the estuary can face a little more damp in the air than those further into town. Therefore, an installer will usually weigh that up when choosing a wall for the outdoor unit. A sheltered spot is normally the simpler choice, since it cuts down on future upkeep.
Away from the water, installation work here is much like any other Devon town. Older cottages may need more careful pipe routing than newer homes. While that detail varies from house to house, the standard split-system process on our installation page applies across the town.
UK law requires an F-Gas certified engineer for any refrigerant work. It is worth asking to see that certificate before the fit begins.
Coverage from Exeter
Kingsteignton is about 14.7 miles by road from Exeter, around 20 minutes’ drive. At the Exeter end of that trip, fitting air conditioning in Exeter takes over. In a straight line, it is about 12 miles. The A380 dual carriageway bypasses the town, linking Exeter, Teignmouth and Newton Abbot.
Newton Abbot lies close by, and Teignmouth sits to the east, where the estuary meets the sea. Bovey Tracey, further inland, completes the nearby coverage. As a result, all three places fall within the same coverage area as Kingsteignton.
Getting matched in Kingsteignton
Send one enquiry and we match your address with one pre-qualified installer who works here. It costs nothing and commits you to nothing.
Get in touch through the contact page. The installation page explains what a typical split-system fit involves before you send your enquiry.