Charles Kingsley's novel Westward Ho! led to the founding of a village by the same name (the only place name in England with an exclamation mark) and inspired the construction of the Bideford, Westward Ho! and Appledore Railway. He was also the author of 'The Water Babies', which I have read as a child. I must admit I haven't read Westawrd Ho!, but we did visit there. Too crowded and tatty at the one end where we were, but OK further along the coast, where we didn't go unfortunately. We also visited Appledore.