Devon: Local History Resources

This page introduced some of the pages and resources available to everyone interested in the history of Devon and its settlements.

Set in the mild climate of Southwest England, Devon is referred to as The English Riviera. Tourists are drawn to Torquay, Paignton and Brixham, the sandy beaches, fossil cliffs, medieval towns, and moorland national parks.

Local History Resources For Devon

There are a large number of UK national resources which include information about a wide range of counties. But there are also societies and centres which concentrate solely on Devon and the surrounding area.

Good resources specific to the history of people and places in Devon include:

• AbbPast
• A La Ronde, Exmouth
• Allhallows Museum
• Alphington Online History Group
• Appledore Historical Society
• Ariel Centre
• Arlington Court
• Ashburton Museum
• Axminster Historical Society
• Axminster Museum
• Babbacombe & St Marychurch Local History Society
• Barnstaple and North Devon Museum
• Barometer World
• Berry Pomeroy Castle
• Bicclescombe Watermill
• Bideford Railway Heritage Centre
• Bill Douglas Cinema Museum
• Bishopsteignton Museum of Rural Life
• Blackawton & Strete History Group
• Bomb Shelter, Beer
• Bovey Tracey Heritage Centre
• Bovey Tracey Heritage Trust
• Bow & District Historical Society
• Bradley
• Branscombe Project
• Braunton and District Museum
• Braunton Countryside Centre
• Bridge Mill, Bridgerule
• Britannia Museum, Dartmouth
• Brixham Battery Heritage Centre
• Brixham Heritage Museum
• Brixham Museum & Heritage Society
• Broadclyst Local History Society
• Broadwoodwidger Local History Society
• Buckland Abbey
• Buckland Brewer History Group
• Budlake Old Post Office
• Burton Art Gallery and Museum
• Bygones Museum
• Cadhay
• Castle Drogo
• Chagford Local History Society
• Chambercombe Manor
• Chardstock Historical Record Group
• Chudleigh History Group
• Chulmleigh & District Local History Society
• Crediton Area History & Museum Society
• Clovelly
• Clyston Mill
• Cobbaton Combat Collection
• Coldharbour Mill
• Coleton Fishacre
• Colyton Heritage Centre
• Colyton Parish History Society
• Combe Martin History Forum
• Combe Martin Museum
• Compton Castle
• Cornerstone Heritage 
• Crediton Museum
• Cricklepit Mill
• Crownhill Fort
• Dartmoor Prison Museum
• Dartmouth Castle
• Dartmouth History Research Group
• Dartmouth Museum
• Dartmoor National Park Visitor Centre, Princetown
• Dawlish Local History Group
• Dawlish Museum
• Demolition-exeter.blogspot.com
• Devon Archaeological Society
• Devon Buildings Group
• Devon Family History Society
• Devon Gardens Trust
• Devon Railway Centre
• Devon Rural Archive
• Devonport Naval Heritage Centre
• Devonshire Association
• Dingles Fairground Heritage Centre
• Dunkeswell Memorial Museum
• East Dartmoor History Association
• Exbourne Local History Group
• Exeter Branch of the Historical Association
• Exeter Local History Society
• Exeter’s Underground Passages
• Exmouth Historical & Archaeological Society
• Exmouth Museum
• Fairlynch Museum
• Feniton History Group
• Finch Foundry
• Friends of Devon Archives
• Friends of Hoar Oak Cottage
• Friends of Totnes Museum
• Fursdon
• Galmpton & Churston Local History Group
• Golden Hind Museum, Brixham
• Great Torrington Heritage Museum
• Greenway Estate
• Halberton History Group
• Harberton & Harbertonford History Society
• Hartland Abbey
• Hartland Quay Museum
• Hatherleigh History Society
• Hawkchurch History Society
• Heavitree Local History Society
• Hele Corn Mill
• Hemyock Castle
• Hemyock History and Archiving Society
• High Bickington Historical Society
• Holsworthy Local History Society
• Holsworthy Museum
• House of Marbles
• Huntsham Society
• Ilfracombe Museum
• Ipplepen Local History Group
• Ivybridge Heritage & Archives Group
• Kelly House
• Kelly Mine
• Kennerleigh & District Heritage Group
• Kenton Past & Present Society
• Kings Nympton History Society
• Kingston Local History Society
• Killerton
• Kingsbridge Cookworthy Museum
• Kirkham House
• Knightshayes Court
• Lewdown Past
• Lifton Local History Group
• Lustleigh Society
• Lympstone History Society
• Lyn and Exmoor Museum
• Marker’s Cottage
• Marldon Local History Group
• Membury History Society
• Merchant’s House, Plymouth
• Merton & Petrockstowe Heritage Group
• Moretonhampstead History Society
• Mortehoe Museum
• Morwellham Quay
• Museum of Barnstaple & North Devon
• Museum of British Surfing
• Museum of Dartmoor Life
• Newcomen Engine House
• Newton Abbot Town & GWR Museum
• Newton Poppleford Local History Group
• Newton St Cyres History Group
• North Devon Archaeological Society
• North Devon Maritime Museum
• North Molton History Society
• Okehampton & District Local History Society
• Old Bakery, Manor Mill & Forge
• Old Plymouth Society
• Otterton Mill
• Otter Valley Association
• Ottery St Mary Heritage Society
• Overbeck’s
• Paignton Heritage Society
• Plough Arts Centre
• Plymouth City Museum and Art Gallery
• Plymouth & District Archaeological Society
• Plymouth Barbican Trust: South West Image Bank
• Plymouth Branch – Historical Association
• Poltimore Estate Research Society
• Powderham Castle
• Princetown History Club
• Ringmore Historical Society
• Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art Gallery, Exeter
• Salcombe History Society
• Salcombe Lifeboat Station
• Salcombe Maritime Museum
• Saltram House
• Sampford Peverell Society
• Sand
• Seaton Museum
• Shebbear & Buckland Filleigh Historical Society
• Shillingford Local History Society
• Sidmouth Local History Group
• Sidmouth Museum
• Silverton Local History Society
• Smeaton’s Tower
• South Devon Railway: Buckfastleigh
• South Molton Museum
• South West Heritage Club
• Starcross History Society
• Start Point Lighthouse
• St Nicholas Priory
• Stokenham Community History Group
• Tamar Belle Visitor Centre
• Tavistock Local History Society
• Tavistock Museum
• Teign Heritage
• Teign Valley History Group
• Teignmouth & Shaldon Museum
• Thorverton & District History Society
• Tiverton Castle
• Tiverton Museum of Mid Devon Life
• Topsham History Group
• Topsham Museum
• Topsham Museum Society
• Torquay Museum
• Torre Abbey
• Torrington & District Historical Society
• Totnes Castle
• Totnes Elizabethan House Museum
• Totnes Fashion and Textiles Museum
• Totnes Guildhall
• Totnes Image Bank and Rural Archive
• Uffculme Local History Group
• Ugbrooke
• Ugborough Local History Group
• University of Exeter Galleries
• Upottery Heritage Centre
• Valiant Soldier
• Watermouth Castle
• Way of the Wharves
• Wembury Local History Society
• West Dart History Group
• West of England Transport Collection
• Westward Ho! History Society
• Whimple History Society
• Widecombe & District Local History Group
• Willand History Group
• William Pengelly Cave Studies Trust Museum
• Woodbury Local History Society
• Yelverton & District Local History Society

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Thanks to Olle August for use of the image shown at the top of this page.