AN MP who gave Dartmouth its first true road link to the outside world more than 200 years ago, is to be honoured with a blue plaque.

Politician, artist and inventor Arthur Howe Holdsworth was the town's MP on and off for more than 20 years during the early 19th century.

In that time he was responsible for the building of Victoria Road – then the only road in and out of the town that could be negotiated by carriages.

He was behind the emptying of the old mill pool and reclaiming that land that was eventually to become the market.

And he was also the moving force behind turning the old pottery at Warfleet Creek into a paper mill.

Now the Dartmouth and Kingswear Society is planning to honour the centuries old MP with a blue plaque.

It will join seven other plaques put up by the society honouring Dartmouth heroes – including John Flavel, which is on the Flavel Centre; Christopher Milne of Winnie-the-Pooh fame on the old Harbour Bookshop; Charles Seale Hayne at Kingswear station; and Dartmouth 'pirate' John Hawley which is in Newcomen Road.

At the moment the society is not certain just where the Holdsworth plaque will go although it is hoped to set it up on Mount Galpin which is where Holdsworth lived in Clarence Hill.

Dartmouth and Kingswear Society spokesman Eric Preston said the owners of the home had yet to be approached.

Arthur Howe Holdsworth's family virtually ran Dartmouth for many years. His grandfather, father and brothers were all prominent people in the town.

Holdsworth himself was the town's MP from 1802 to 1820 and then again from 1829 to 1832.

He eventually lost his seat following the Reform Act of 1832 when the vote was extended to more than just the landed gentry.

Mr Preston said: 'He did do a lot for the town. He was instrumental in the construction of the new road – now Victoria Road.

'It was he first time the town had a road where carriages could get in and out of Dartmouth.

'Before that it was a case of pack mule trails.'

The society is asking Dartmouth Town Council to support the plaque honour with a contribution to the cost.

The council's finance committee has agreed to discuss the request at is next meeting in November.