Devon – maritime county in SW. of England; is bounded N. by the Bristol Channel, E. by Somerset and Dorset, S. by the English Channel, and W. by Cornwall; length, 69 miles; breadth, 65 miles; coast-line, about 143 miles; area, 1,655,208 acres, population 603,595. The surface is richly diversified; the prevailing scenery is beautiful; the climate is mild and salubrious. The coast-line is rocky and precipitous. In the S. is the fertile district called South Hams; in the centre is the bleak and rugged tract of Dartmoor, rising to a mean elevation of 1700 ft., and the rich and beautiful Vale of Exeter; in the N. of the co. moorland prevails. The principal rivers are the Taw and the Torridge, flowing into the Bristol Channel, and the Exe, Axe, Teign, Dart, Avon, and Tamar, flowing into the English Channel. The estuaries of all these rivers afford good harbours. The prevailing rocks are – granite on Dartmoor, Devonian limestone in the N. and S., millstone grit in the centre and W., and new red sandstone, &c., in the E. The minerals are tin, copper, lead, iron, granite, limestone, marble, slate, &c. Potter’s clay and pipeclay are also worked. Devon is celebrated for its orchards and dairy farms; butter, cheese, cider, and live stock are largely exported. The manufactures are coarse woollen goods, lace, paper, gloves, and shoes. The fisheries are considerable. The county comprises 33 hundreds, 481 parishes, with 2 parts, the parliamentary and municipal boroughs of Devonport (2 members), Exeter (1 member), and Plymouth (2 members), and the municipal boroughs of Barnstaple, Bideford, Dartmouth, Honiton, South Molton, Tiverton, Torrington, and Totnes. It is mostly in the diocese of Exeter.
– John Bartholomew, Gazetteer of the British Isles (1887)
A la Ronde
Summer Lane
Exmouth EX8 5BD
01395 265514
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/a-la-ronde
This unique sixteen-sided house was described by Lucinda Lambton as having ‘a magical strangeness that one might dream of only as a child’. It was built for two spinster cousins, Jane and Mary Parminter, on their return from a grand tour of Europe in the late 18th century. It contains many objects and mementoes of their travels. The extraordinary interior decoration includes a feather frieze, gathered from native game birds and chickens, laboriously stuck down with isinglass. There is also a fragile shell-encrusted gallery, said to contain nearly 25,000 shells, which can be viewed in its entirety using a touch screen 360 degree virtual tour.
Allhallows Museum of Lace & Antiquities
Allhallows Museum, High Street
Honiton EX14 1PG
01404 44966
www.honitonmuseum.co.uk
In the town famous for lace-making Allhallows Museum has one of the most comprehensive collections of Honiton Lace in the world. Lace-making demonstrations are given daily by volunteers throughout the months of June, July and August.
Arlington Court & the National Trust Carriage Museum – National Trust
Arlington
Barnstaple EX31 4LP
01271 850296
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/arlington-court
Arlington Court is an impressive Regency house with a vast collections of artefacts from paintings to pewter and ships to shells. Set in grounds of 2700 acres with formal gardens and woodland.
Ashburton Museum
1 West Street
Ashburton TQ13 7AB
No visit to Ashburton would be complete without a visit to the Town’s Museum. Originally started in a private house, it moved to the tower of St Lawrence Chapel and, when it outgrew that, in 1962, to the old blacksmith’s shop behind the chapel (part of the old grammar school site).
Axe Valley Heritage Museum
Town Hall, Fore Street
Seaton EX12 2LD
01297 24227
www.seatonmuseum.co.uk
The museum is situated on the top floor of Seaton Town Hall in Fore Street. Of particular interest is the large collection of photographs and documents illustrating life in Seaton in past days. Displays illustrate the history of the Axe Valley, including archaeology, natural history and geology.
Axminster Museum
Church Street
Axminster EX13 5AQ
01297 34668
Originally the Old Police Station and Courthouse, the museum is opposite St Mary’s Church in the centre of Axminster.
Collections: Visitors can discover old police cells, see displays in the former courtroom, and view collections ranging from agricultural tools to Axminster carpets, archaeology to old photographs.
Bampton Heritage & Visitor Centre
c/o 21, Briton Street, Bampton
Tiverton EX16 9LN
01398 331482
You can visit the Heritage and Visitor Centre to read and hear about Bampton’s history and you can also take a guided town trail to see Bampton’s history!
Barnstaple Heritage Centre
The Strand
Barnstaple EX31 1EU
01271 373003
On your journey through time, you can experience Saxon life in Barnstaple, find out what was on offer in the medieval market, listen to merchants trading at the Tome Stone, and make sure the enemy does not surround you as the Civil War reaches town! Escape the battles to reach the genteel 18th century, and tread the boards with John Gay’s Beggar’s Opera.
Barometer World Museum
Quicksilver Barn
Merton EX20 3DS
01805 603443
www.barometerworld.co.uk
The Barometer World Exhibition is bound to be of interest to many visitors, with an incredible variety of weather predictors from conventional mercury and aneroid barometers, rare and strange instruments from the past to unusual natural weather forecasters including sharks, frogs and leeches.
Berry Pomeroy Castle – English Heritage
Totnes TQ9 6LJ
01803 866618
Tucked away in a steep wooded valley, Berry Pomeroy Castle is the perfect romantic ruin. Within the 15th-century defences of the Pomeroy family castle, still displaying a wall painting of the Three Kings in its gatehouse chamber, looms the dramatic ruined shell of its successor, the great Elizabethan mansion of the Seymours.
Bill Douglas Centre for the History of Cinema & Popular Culture
University of Exeter, Old Library Building, Prince of Wales Road
Exeter EX4 4SB
01392 264321
www.exeter.ac.uk/bill.douglas
The Bill Douglas Centre opened in 1997 as part of the University of Exeter’s developing film studies programme. The museum is dedicated to the history of the moving image.
Collections: The centre houses one of the largest collections of film- and cinema-related memorabilia in the UK, including Disney toys, posters, film stills, sheet music, postcards, campaign material and an extensive library. The collections also represent the wealth of Victorian optical entertainments, including shadow puppets, magic lanterns, panoramas, zoetropes and peepshows.
Bishopsteignton Museum of Rural Life
Shute Hill
Bishopsteignton TQ14 9QL
01626 775308
Our museum is quite small but contains a wealth of exhibits relating to the history of the village and its inhabitants. We have a large collection of documents relating to the population over the years and our curator is happy to help visitors seeking family information.
Bradley – National Trust
Bradley
Newton Abbot TQ12 6BN
01803 661907
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/bradley
Unspoilt and fascinating medieval manor house, still a relaxed family home, in a green haven of riverside meadows and woodland.
Branscombe – National Trust
Branscombe
Seaton EX12 3DB
01752 346585
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/branscombe
Nestling in a valley that reaches down to the sea on east Devon’s dramatic Jurassic Coast, the village of Branscombe is surrounded by picturesque countryside with miles of tranquil walking through woodland, farmland and beach. Branscombe’s charming thatched houses, working forge and restored watermill add to the timeless magic of the place. An easy graded trail winds up from the beach to the village passing Manor Mill, the Old Bakery tearooms and the working forge.
Braunton & District Museum
The Bakehouse Centre, Caen Street
Braunton EX33 1AA
01271 816688
The Bakehouse Centre was specially converted from a former bakehouse and two cottages to house today’s Museum. Museum Staff are pleased to welcome visitors and offer a guided tour if requested. A printed guide to the collection is also available.
Britannia Royal Naval College Museum & Archives
The Britannia Museum, Britannia Royal Naval College
Dartmouth TQ6 0HJ
01803 677233
This small yet fine museum has collected together many pictures and artefacts showing the history of BRNC from its beginnings in 1863 as two vessels moored in the River Dart, through the opening in 1905 of today’s College.
Brixham Heritage Museum
The Old Police Station, New Road
Brixham TQ5 8LZ
01803 856267
Brixham Museum & History Society was founded in 1957 to record, save and display the heritage of the historic town and fishing port. The museum moved to its present location, the 1902 Police Station and Sergeant’s House, in 1976.
Buckfast Abbey
Buckfast Road
Buckfastleigh TQ11 0EE
01364 645550
The Buckfast monks are pleased to invite visitors to their abbey. We seek to provide a stimulating learning environment for all ages and ability levels.
Buckland Abbey, Garden & Estate – National Trust
Buckland
Yelverton PL20 6EY
01822 853607
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/buckland-abbey
700-year-old building with fine 16th-century great hall, associated with Elizabethan seafarers Drake and Grenville. Tucked away in its own secluded valley above the River Tavy, Buckland was originally a small but influential Cistercian monastery.
Burton Art Gallery & Museum
Kingsley Road
Bideford EX39 2QQ
01237 471455
www.burtonartgallery.co.uk
The Burton Art Gallery and Museum consists of Bideford Museum display area, temporary exhibition spaces and a craft gallery.
Castle Drogo – National Trust
Drewsteignton
near Exeter EX6 6PB
01647 433306
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/castle-drogo
Castle Drogo was built for self-made millionaire Julius Drewe by architect Sir Edwin Lutyens. Unfortunately the castle, with its flat roof, has suffered from serious water penetration from the start, and is now undergoing a 5 year conservation project that will last until 2017 to make it watertight.
Coldharbour Mill Trust
Working Wool Museum, Uffculme
Collompton EX15 3EE
01884 840960
Welcome to Coldharbour Mill, a 200 year old spinning mill set in the tranquil Devon village of Uffculme. Built by Thomas Fox to spin woollen and later worsted yarns in 1799, Coldharbour Mill is a rare example of surviving Georgian architecture, industry and enterprise. Since reopening as a museum in 1982 the mill has continued to produce high quality worsted knitting yarn on its period machinery.
Coleton Fishacre – National Trust
Brownstone Road
Kingswear TQ6 0EQ
01803 752466
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/coleton-fishacre
Travel back in time to the Jazz Age at the holiday home of the D’Oyly Carte family. You can lose yourself in the magical 12-hectare (30-acre) garden: viewpoints give enticing glimpses out to sea, paths weave through glades past tranquil ponds, and tender plants from the Mediterranean, South Africa and New Zealand thrive in the moist and sheltered valley.
Combe Martin Museum & Tourist Information Point
Cross Street
Combe Martin EX34 0DH
01271 889301
www.combe-martin-museum.co.uk
A volunteer run museum which gained Heritage Lottery and Devon Rennaisance funding in 2008 to relocate to newly renovated premises in historic Cross Street.
Compton Castle – National Trust
Marldon
Paignton TQ3 1TA
01803 661906
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/compton-castle
Built between the 14th and 16th centuries, the castle has been home to the Gilbert family for most of the last 600 years. Sir Humphrey Gilbert (1539–1583) was coloniser of Newfoundland and half-brother to Sir Walter Raleigh.
Crediton Area History & Museum Society
The Old Town Hall, High Street
Crediton EX17 3LF
01363 773919
Local museum & history society for Crediton and surrounding villages in Mid-Devon. Exhibitions are usually based on local themes and use the society’s archive of documents and photographs.
Dartmoor Trust & Archive
Ford Farm, Sticklepath
Okehampton EX20 2NS
01822 600100
The Dartmoor Trust works closely with the National Park Authority on projects that benefit Dartmoor. At the core of the Dartmoor Trust is our archive project. The Dartmoor Trust Archive is home to 20,000 images dating back over 100 years.
Dartmouth Castle – English Heritage
Castle Road
Dartmouth TQ6 0JN
01803 833588
One of the most picturesquely-sited fortresses in England. For over 600 years Dartmouth Castle has guarded the narrow entrance to the Dart Estuary and the busy, vibrant port of Dartmouth.
Dartmouth Museum
6 The Butterwalk, Duke Street
Dartmouth TQ6 9PZ
01803 832923
A small and unusually interesting Museum housed in an old Merchant’s House, dated 1640. The museum houses marine and local artefacts, including a superb collection of ships in bottles and an extensive photographic archive of the local area, shipbuilding and shipping on the Dart.
Dawlish Museum Society
The Knowle, Barton Terrace
Dawlish EX7 9QH
01626 888557
Knowle House was built as a gentleman’s residence in 1805, and has been used for various purposes since. It now houses Dawlish Museum.
Devon & Cornwall Constabulary Heritage & Learning Resource
Okehampton Police Station, Exeter Road
Okehampton EX20 1NN
01837 658414
Previously known as the Force Museum, Devon & Cornwall Constabulary’s Heritage & Learning Resource is now based in Okehampton. One of our long-term aims is to open as a Police Heritage Centre which will illustrate aspects of police history as well as policing today.
Devon Family History Society
PO Box 9
Exeter EX2 6YP
01392 433212
The society’s objects are to promote the study of genealogy and history, especially of Devon families and places, to educate the public therein through advice and instruction, and, for the public benefit, to encourage the preservation and transcription of relevant documents and records, especially for the county of Devon.
Devon Record Office
Great Moor House, Bittern Road, Sowton
Exeter EX2 7NL
01392 384253
www.devon.gov.uk/record_office.htm
The Devon Record Office exists to collect and preserve the historical records of Devon and to make them available to all who wish to study them. There are three record offices which share this task. The Devon Record Office at Exeter houses all types of historical records relating to the county of Devon, the city of Exeter, and East, Mid and South Devon, including Torbay.
Devon Rural Archive
Shilstone, Nr Modbury
Plymouth PL21 0TW
01548 830832
The Devon Rural Archive was launched in 2006 to promote a greater understanding of the county’s rural domestic architecture. Our growing reference library is open to the public two days a week for private research and provides the perfect place to explore Devon’s architectural heritage.
Dingles Fairground Heritage Centre
The Fairground Heritage Trust, Milford
Lifton PL16 0AT
01566 783425
www.fairground-heritage.org.uk
The Fairground Heritage Trust, formed in 1986, is a charity which is committed to saving, conserving and sharing historic fairground equipment. Our aim is to establish Dingles Fairground Heritage Centre as a remarkable and fascinating experience; a place to visit offering fun, enjoyment and learning for a broad range of audiences. In addition to our other collections, the Trust also has access to an extensive collection of ephemera and a large photographic archive.
Exeter Cathedral
Exeter EX1 1HS
Pilgrims and visitors have been making their way to Exeter Cathedral since medieval times. It is one of the most visited places in the west country.
Exeter Synagogue
Exeter Hebrew Congregation, Synagogue Place, Mary Arches Street
Exeter EX4 3BA
01392 251529
Jews have lived and worshipped in Exeter for over 250 years. The synagogue, which was built in 1763, is small, beautiful and, happily, still used regularly for services.
Exeter’s Underground Passages
Romangate Passage, Off High Street
Exeter EX4 3PZ
01392 665887
www.exeter.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=2914
A visit to Exeter’s Underground Passages is a most unusual event and one of the most exciting things available for young people in the City of Exeter. The passages welcome bookings from schools, student groups, clubs and societies.
Exmouth Museum
Sheppards Row, Exeter Road
Exmouth EX8 1PW
07768 184127
Exmouth Museum was first opened in 1985, and is housed in a 19th century building which was the Council Stables together with the adjoining foreman’s cottage. It is now divided into three galleries, two on the ground floor and one on the first floor.
Fairlynch Museum & Arts Centre
27 Fore Street
Budleigh Salterton EX9 6NP
01395 442666
www.devonmuseums.net/fairlynch
The town of Budleigh Salterton possesses one of the important costume collections in the country. For this reason alone a call at the museum is a must for visitors to the town.
Finch Foundry – National Trust
Finch Foundry, Sticklepath
Nr Okehampton EX20 2NW
01837 840046
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/finch-foundry
Set amid beautiful Dartmoor countryside in the village of Sticklepath, this last remaining water-powered forge in England gives a unique insight into village life in the 19th century. In its heyday the foundry made 400 tools a day, including sickles, scythes and shovels for West Country farmers and miners. Don’t miss the demonstrations and tours of the machinery every hour.
Greenway – National Trust
Greenway Road
Galmpton, nr Brixham TQ5 0ES
01803 843235
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/greenway
Glorious woodland garden on the banks of the Dart estuary. From 1938-1959, Greenway was the holiday home of Mrs Mallowan – Agatha Christie – and her husband.
Grimspound
Challacombe Farm, Dartmoor
Postbridge, Yelverton PL20 6TD
Late Bronze Age settlement featuring the remains of 24 huts within an area of over 6,000 square metres (four acres), enclosed by a massive stone wall, some 9 feet thick. This was the model for the prehistoric hut in which Sherlock Holmes spent the night in The Hound of the Baskervilles.
Holsworthy Museum
Manor Offices
Holsworthy EX22 6DJ
01409 259337
www.devonmuseums.net/holsworthy
The museum is housed in part of a building which is in itself a museum piece; a small manor house dating from the 17th century which was used as a parsonage in 1724. There are five separate rooms, individually themed, which cover the history of Holsworthy, local tradesmen’s tools, medical and apothecary items, World War II and a kitchen with its original cobbled floor, copper and fireplace.
Ilfracombe Museum
Wilder Road
Ilfracombe EX34 8AF
01271 863541
www.ilfracombemuseum.co.uk
Delve into the treasure trove that is Ilfracombe Museum. Overflowing with curiosities and memorabilla, this historic building houses unimaginable finds from a shrunken head to pickled bats, and marvellous insect, spider and butterfly specimens to explore.
Kennaway House
Coburg Road
Sidmouth EX10 8NG
01395 515551
Built in 1805, the year of Trafalgar, Kennaway House is a handsome Regency mansion standing in its own grounds in the heart of Sidmouth.
Collections: There is a permanent display illustrating the history of the house and its significance within the architectural context of Sidmouth. There is a permanent display of the work of influential Sidmouth architect, RW Sampson, to which entry is free but by application. The restored Regency rooms are worth visiting in their own right and include exhibition space for the work of both established and new artists in the south west.
Kents Cavern Prehistoric Caves
Kents Cavern, Cavern House, Ilsham Road
Torquay TQ1 2JF
01803 215136
www.kents-cavern.co.uk
Kents Cavern is one of the most important Stone Age cave sites in Europe, making it Britain’s premier prehistoric cave. For thousands of years the cave was home to ancient humans, sheltering from extreme weather, making fires, shaping stone tools and hunting wild Ice Age predators.
Killerton – National Trust
Killerton, Broadclyst
Exeter EX5 3LE
01392 881345
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/Killerton
Fine 18th-century house with costume collection, hillside garden and estate. Delightful hillside garden featuring rhododendrons, magnolias, and rare trees. Home to the ‘Paulise de Bush’ costume collection, with over 9,000 outfits.
Kingsbridge Cookworthy Museum
The Old Grammar School, 108 Fore Street
Kingsbridge TQ7 1AW
01548 853235
The Kingsbridge Cookworthy Museum is an independent museum, founded in 1971. It is housed in the Grade II listed 17th century former Grammar School, a well-known landmark in Kingsbridge.
Knightshayes Court – National Trust
Bolham
Tiverton EX16 7RQ
01884 254665
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/knightshayes-court
When pioneer lace-maker John Heathcoat was chased out of Loughborough by the Luddites in 1816, his relocation to Tiverton led eventually to one of the finest surviving Gothic Revival houses being built in the lush landscape of mid Devon. In 1869 his grandson employed the architect and decorator William Burges – a passionate Gothic enthusiast – to build Knightshayes Court.
Lyn & Exmoor Museum
St Vincent’s Cottage, Market Street
Lynton EX35 6HJ
01598 752317
A charming, rural museum with a collection of agricultural and domestic tools from Lynton and Exmoor. Housed in Lynton’s oldest surviving domestic dwelling, it even includes its own ghost. Cottage kitchen with large stone fireplace, bread oven and pots and pans and domestic clutter.
Merchant’s House
33 St Andrew Street
Plymouth PL1 2AX
01752 304774
www.plymouth.gov.uk/museums
See four mini museums under one roof in this former home of famous Elizabethan privateer, William Parker. Old curiosities, a Victorian schoolroom, Blitz room and Edwardian pharmacy provide a fascinating snapshot of Plymouth’s recent past.
Morwellham Quay Museum
Morwellham
Tavistock PL19 8JL
01822 832766
www.morwellham-quay.co.uk
An award-winning, evocative museum and visitor centre in the heart of the Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape World Heritage Site and Tamar Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Just four miles west of Tavistock the historic port, mine workings and estate border the beautiful River Tamar.
Museum of Barnstaple & North Devon
The Square
Barnstaple EX32 8LN
01271 346 747
A visit to the museum of Barnstaple and North Devon is the perfect way to get to know the area’s landscape, wildlife, history and culture. In The Story of North Devon special effects and hands on activities help you find out about life from prehistoric to Victorian times.
Museum of British Surfing
Caen Street car park
Braunton EX33 1AA
01271 815155
www.museumofbritishsurfing.org.uk
Historic British surfboards and associated memorabilia dating back to the time when Captain James Cook and his crew first discovered surfing in 1769. We have a large range of surfing publications dating back 200 years, plus photographs, films and interviews with pioneer surfers.
Museum of Dartmoor Life
3 West Street
Okehampton EX20 1TG
01837 52295
www.museumofdartmoorlife.eclipse.co.uk
Rural life on Dartmoor 100 years ago: Could you live without electricity? Could you cope without central heating? Where would you get food and clothes if there were no supermarkets or clothes shops? Find out how people survived at the museum of Dartmoor Life, Okehampton.
Newton Abbot Town & Great Western Railway Museum
2a St Pauls Road
Newton Abbot TQ12 2HP
01626 201121
The museum collections are focused on the Great Western Railway and the social history of the town. The working signal box takes pride of place within the GWR Room, a hands-on connection with the great days of the Great Western Railway. An audio system enables you to hear ex-GWR men talking about their lives as railwaymen.
North Devon Maritime Museum
Odun House, Odun Road
Appledore EX39 1PT
01237 474852
www.devonmuseums.net/appledore
This Museum covers all aspects of North Devon’s history from the invasion of the Danes in 878 to present day shipbuilding. Subjects include our seafaring past and present, with models and photographs of sail, steam and motor ships, the Tudor period of Grenville and the Armada, the Newfoundland fishing trade, emigration, smuggling, shipbuilding, rope making, coopering, wreck & rescue and World War II activities in North Devon. Large archive of reference books, copies of Custom House records for Bideford, Barnstaple and Ilfracombe from 1786 to 1900, Mariners Mirror and Sea Breezes, documents, several photographic collections – all available by appointment only.
Okehampton Castle – English Heritage
Castle Lodge
Okehampton EX20 1JA
01837 52844
The remains of the largest castle in Devon, in an outstandingly picturesque setting on a wooded spur above the rushing River Okement. Begun soon after the Norman Conquest as a motte and bailey castle with a stone keep, it was converted into a sumptuous residence in the 14th century by Hugh Courtenay, Earl of Devon, much of whose work survives.
Otterton Mill Centre & Working Museum
Nr Budleigh
Salterton EX9 7HG
01395 568521
here has been a working mill at Otterton since at least Norman times, when King William the Conqueror granted all the local land hereabouts to the abbots of St Michel of Normandy. The earliest written record of the mill is in the Domesday survey in 1068, which confirmed its status as one of the largest and most productive of the seventy mills in Devon.
Overbeck’s – National Trust
Sharpitor
Salcombe TQ8 8LW
01548 842893
A hidden paradise of subtropical gardens and eclectic collections.. With a climate more like the Mediterranean Riviera than the British mainland, Overbeck’s is home to an astonishing plant collection.
Plymouth & West Devon Record Office
Unit 3, Clare Place
Plymouth PL4 0JW
01752 305940
www.plymouth.gov.uk/archives/
The Plymouth and West Devon Record Office is the principal archive repository within Plymouth and the West Devon area. It exists to collect and preserve the historical records of the area and to promote and encourage their use by all who want to study them.
Plymouth City Museum & Art Gallery
Drake Circus
Plymouth PL4 8AJ
01752 304774
A visit to the City Museum and Art Gallery gives you a chance to see thousands of objects in our permanent galleries. Our ground floor displays include fascinating objects from Asia, Africa, Oceania and Europe. You can learn about life and death in Ancient Egypt, discover more about Plymouth’s distant and more recent past and see a variety of natural specimens. On our first floor you can see highlights from our large decorative art collection and discover the story of porcelain. You can also see our Cottonian Collection, which offers a glimpse into the achievements of an 18th century gentleman.
Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art Gallery
Queen Street
Exeter EX4 3RX
01392 665858
Fully refurbished after a multimillion pound redevelopment, the new displays showcase the collections and collectors that have helped RAMM to become one of Britain’s finest regional museums. They tell the story of Exeter and Devon from the prehistoric to the present but, more than a local museum, its internationally important world cultures and natural history collections also tell a story of global exploration and collecting in the 18th and 19th centuries. Original architectural features have been revealed allowing visitors to experience the splendour of the original Victorian spaces.
Salcombe Maritime & Local History Museum
Basement, The Old Council Hall, Market Street
Salcombe TQ8 8DE
When in Salcombe do find time to visit our museum. It is one of the town’s few wet weather attractions and has, in recent years, been much upgraded.
Sidmouth Museum
Hope Cottage, Church Street
Sidmouth EX10 8lY
01395 516139
Situated alongside the lych gate of the parish church, Sidmouth Museum celebrates 240 million years of history. It offers something for everyone with an interest in the World Heritage Jurassic Coast, local history and archaeology. There are permanent displays of fine prints, paintings and old photographs illustrating the history of Sidmouth from a fishing village, through its Regency period to the current time.
South Devon Railway Museum
South Devon Railway Trust, The Station
Buckfastleigh TQ11 0DZ
0845 345 1466
www.southdevonrailway.co.uk/museum
The South Devon Railway Museum can be found in the former goods shed at Buckfastleigh station. Part has been closed while new displays and artefacts have been prepared, whilst the infrastructure has been greatly improved.
South Molton & District Museum
The Guildhall, The Square
South Molton EX36 3AB
01769 572951
The museum is located on the ground floor of the town’s 18th century Guildhall, which was completed in 1743 and is situated on the town square. Discover the true spirit of the characters from South Molton’s past, through the exhibits and interactive displays.
South West Image Bank
25 The Parade Barbican
Plymouth PL1 2JN
01752 665445
The South West Image Bank (SWiB) is a community based specialist photography archive managed by our Archivist, and a full time Outreach Officer. SWiB is supported by a team of volunteers who undertake cataloguing and digitisation of the unique photographic archives deposited by members of the public, photographers and local businesses.
St Nicholas Priory
The Mint, off Fore Street
Exeter EX4 3BL
01392 665858
www.exeter.gov.uk/priory
Originally part of a medieval monastery, this splendid Grade 1 listed building later became the Tudor home of a wealthy merchant family. Now presented as their richly furnished Elizabethan town house adorned with beautifully crafted replica furniture and bright paint and textiles of the period. Also displayed are some of Exeter’s original Tudor artefacts from the collection at the Royal Albert Memorial Museum.
Tavistock Museum
Court Gate, Guildhall Square
Tavistock PL19 0AE
www.tavistockmuseum.co.uk
Tavistock Museum is a town museum located in the historic Court Gate. The entrance is in Guildhall Square.
Teignmouth & Shaldon Museum
29 French Street
Teignmouth TQ14 8ST
01626 777041
Two wonderful permanent galleries which have been carefully designed to appeal to both adults and children. The centre also houses a roof terrace, a large meeting and events space, the Teign Room, a small shop, dedicated research area and archive room.
Tiverton Museum of Mid Devon Life
Beck’s Square
Tiverton EX16 6PJ
01884 256295
Tiverton Museum is a vibrant, award-winning and much loved museum that provides extensive displays on local history. It runs a lively events programme, including temporary exhibitions (on anything from the history of underwear to local farming memories), guided walks, talks, holiday craft activities, themed days and lots more.
Topsham Museum
25 The Strand
Topsham, Exeter EX3 0AX
01392 873244
Topsham Museum is housed in one of a group of late 17th century buildings overlooking the Exe Estuary. Part of the museum’s focus is on Topsham’s maritime history – one particular showpiece is the River Gallery, featuring unique historic river craft. Visitors can also enjoy the furnished period rooms of the original house and the Sail Loft with its historical timeline of the town’s general history. Other interesting exhibits include wildlife of the Exe Estuary, local trades and organisations and memorabilia of the film star Vivien Leigh.
Torquay Museum
529 Babbacombe Rd
Torquay TQ1 1HG
01803 293975
Torquay Museum is Devon’s oldest established Museum still operating, founded in 1845 and still owned and run by Torquay Museum Society. The museum holds collections that are exceptional for a Museum of this size, with over 300,000 objects, some of which are of international importance. The museum is home to the second oldest anatomically modern human fossil in Europe, along with a large collection of stone tools and animal remains from the nearby Kents Cavern – one of the most important prehistoric sites in Europe.
Torre Abbey Historic House & Gallery
The King’s Drive
Torquay TQ2 5JE
01803 293 593
Torre Abbey was founded in 1196 as a monastery for the Premonstratensian order of Canons. By the 15th century it was the richest monastery of the order in the whole of the UK.
Collections: Torre Abbey contains a regionally important collection of oil paintings and watercolours. It is particularly strong in 19th century portraits and landscapes, especially the work of the Pre-Raphaelites.
Torrington Museum
14 South Street
Great Torrington EX38 8AA
01805 624 324
Torrington Museum is a small, friendly and free museum, which possesses or holds on loan many fascinating exhibits and reflects the diverse history of this ancient market town.
Totnes Castle – English Heritage
Totnes TQ9 5NU
01803 864406
A classic Norman motte and bailey castle, founded soon after the Conquest to overawe the Saxon town. A later stone shell-keep crowns its steep mound, giving sweeping views across the town rooftops to the River Dart.
Totnes Elizabethan House Museum
70 Fore Street
Totnes TQ9 5RU
01803 863821
The Totnes Elizabethan House Museum collection is contained in a magnificent Tudor house, built in 1575. There are 13 rooms on three floors covering over 5000 years of history from Totnes and District.
Collections: In Saxon times Totnes was a minting Burgh, a fortified town which produced its own coinage. The museum houses a collection of coins minted in Totnes during the Saxon period, which are currently on display in the Archaeology Gallery.
Totnes Fashion & Textiles Museum
Bogan House, 43 High Street
Totnes TQ9 5NP
www.devonmuseums.net/57/1043/museum.html
The Devon Collection of Period Costume contains clothing for men, women and children from the 18th century to the end of the 20th century. A themed exhibition, which is changed annually, is displayed in the most intact Tudor Merchant’s House in Totnes.
Valiant Soldier, The
79/80 Fore Street
Buckfastleigh TQ11 0BS
The Valiant Soldier was an active pub in Buckfastleigh which closed in the late 1960s and never re-opened. Everything was literally left as it was and today, it’s open as a museum, giving visitors a glimpse of the past.
Whimple Heritage Centre
Lockyers Linhay, Church Road
Exeter EX5 2SQ
01404 822499
Whimple Heritage Centre is concerned with the history and heritage of Whimple and the surrounding area. Our Centre has numerous artefacts on display and many records and photographs of life in the village including much to do with the Whiteways Cyder Factory which was based in the village.