Why has the cornish town of Westward Ho! got an exclamation mark at the end of it?

Answer 1

Strangely enough, the book did indeed come first:

"WESTWARD HO! [in the parish of Northam] is an entirely modern settlement. Following the publication of Kingsley's book in 1855, a 'company was formed to develop this site as a watering place. The Westward Ho! Hotel was built, a church (Holy Trinity) followed in 1870, and by 1872 there were two or three rows of terraces, many scattered villas, and a single line of shops. A golf course was laid out on the Burrows which became known as one of the finest in England. The United Services College for the sons of officers was opened in 1874, and is the mise en sctne of Kipling's Stalky& Co. Within the next thirty years much more building took place in a planless way, but worse came in the 20th century. To-day Westward Ho! is a sad spectacle of what uncontrolled speculative building can do with a fine site. Many of the buildings are alien to Devon, and most of them could be anywhere else. The golf course remains superb. The Pebble Ridge is a remarkable natural phenomenon nearly 2 m. long, about 50 ft. wide, and 20 ft. high."

Answer 2

The town's name comes from the title of Charles Kingsley's novel Westward Ho!. The exclamation mark is therefore an intentional part of the town's name,

Answer 3

The name has an exclamation mark because the expression is an exclamation. The town, which is in Devon, is named after a book of the same name. Apparently it is unique in the British Isles in having an exclamation mark.

Answer 4

Firstly,the town is in North Devon not Cornwall.
I think the naming of the town has something to do with the book of the same name by Charles Kingsley

Answer 5

Sorry but Westward Ho! is in Devon.

Answer 6

Should have thought the town came first, the novel second. Can't imagine a town being named after a novel, t'other way round.

Answer 7

because its exciting

Answer 8

because it is ****!!!!!!!!!!!!