Totnes Devon Tourist Information Green Tourism Castle South Hams Devon UK

Totnes Castle & Berry Pomeroy Castle

Totnes Castle is impressive to say the least, for it has one of the best preserved Norman keeps in Britain, and one of the best surviving examples of a motte and bailey Norman castle. Climb to the top for superb panoramic views of Totnes, the River Dart and surrounds. The enormous ditch surround Totnes Castle is now filled with attractive cottages and properties.

The castle site itself has a history stretching back before the Norman period. There was an Anglo-Saxon mint here well before the Norman Conquest, and a wooden castle built by Breton, Judhael who was given Totnes by King William. The splendid keep and motte remains you can see today were not built until the 1320s by the de la Zouche family. Admire this truly impressive ancient large motte surrounded by it's circular shell keep. Part of the curtain wall around the bailey has survived as well. Many other buildings would have originally surround this motte and bailey. It's a spectacularly preserved Devon Castle, and not to be missed on the Devon Castle trail!

Totnes Castle, Tel: 01803 864406. Opening times are Mar-Jun 10am-5pm daily, Jul-Aug 10am-6pm daily, Sept 10am-5pm, Oct 10am-4pm. A number of events are held in the castle grounds throughout the year, check with Totnes Tourist information centre. Events include open air theatre performances and medieval pageants. If time why not also visit Berry Pomeroy Castle near Totnes. Here you'll discover picturesque wooded castle ruins dating from 1300. Berry Pomeroy Castle was seriously damaged during the English Civil War, and afterwards left abandoned. What remains at the Berry Pomeroy Castle site is mostly Elizabethan, and impressive indeed. The huge gatehouse and defensive curtain wall date from the late 15th century and just behind them are the remains of an Elizabethan country house, dated C.1560-1600 and built by the Seymour family. The boy king Edward VI has connections with this Devon Castle. Hook into the superb audio-visual display at Berry Pomeroy Castle to find out more!

Totnes Tourist Information Centre, The Town Mill, Coronation Road, Totnes. Tel: 01803 863168. Open 9.30am-5pm from Mon-Sat. Also visit nearby Berry Pomeroy Castle Nr Totnes, Tel: 01803 866618. Open Apr-Sept, 10am-6pm daily, Oct 10am-5pm daily. Close Nov-Mar. Check the English Heritage weblink to the right for more details.

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Elizabethan Museum, Totnes

During the Tudor and Elizabethan period many may not know this but Totnes was apparently the second wealthest Devon town. Hardly surprising considering it's prime trading position as a river port town. There are many Elizabethan buildings, particularly on Fore Street, in Totnes. The Elizabethan Museum is one such building, thought to date from 1575, and built by wealthy merchan Walter Kell.

The Elizabethan building is impressive enough on the outside. Move inside for an interesting selection of exhibitions on Totnes history, plus an exhibition on one time Totnes resident Charles Babbage (1791-1871), who is renowned for inventing an early version of the computer!

Whilst you're on Fore Street there's plenty more to see, not all of the Elizabethan kind. Watch out for the Brutus Stone near No.51 Fore Street. There's a legend around this granite stone jutting out of the pavement. Brutus, the grandson of Aeneas is said to have landed here in Totnes in 1170BC proclaiming himself King of Britain and using this bit of granite as a stepping stone to get on the shore! Other buildings of interest in old town Totnes include the Guildhall, built in 1533.

The Elizabethan Museum, 70 Fore Street . Totnes . Devon TQ9 5RU. Tel: 0180 863821. Opening times are Easter to end October and Bank Holidays, Mon-Fri 10.30 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. Sat - Groups by appointment only. Unfortunately the museum's layout is not suitable for wheelchair access.

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South Devon Railway, Totnes to Buckfastleigh

One of the best things about being based in Totnes, South Hams is that it's easy to access many other Devon hotspots using not your car, but by either hopping on one of the many boat trips to Dartmouth and surrounds or by taking a ride on the superbly scenic South Devon Railway. The best views of the River Dart are to be had on this historic railway journey.

No trip to Totnes is complete without a trip on the nostalgic South Devon Steam Railway. It's a great way of getting to the outskirts of Dartmoor National Park, hopping off at either Buckfastleigh or Ashburton! This railway has been lovingly restored by steam railway enthusiasts, much like the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway, and is now a registered Charity operating a Standard Gauge Railway between Buckfastleigh and Totnes in South Devon. Trains stop at Ashburton and trips from Totnes take in breathtaking views of the River Dart. This railway route has a bit of a history, and was built by the South Devon Railway, opening on 1st May 1872.

It then changed hands to Great Western Railway in 1876, and ran until 7th September 1962 when it closed. Lucky for us, it was re-opened as a preserved steam line on 5th April 1969. The line is now owned by the South Devon Railway Trust took who took it over in January 1991. Choose to journey on a number of steam locomotives and privately owned diesels, together with some historic rolling stock. There is a Buckfastleigh Station Gift shop, stocking all your Hornby must haves and general steam railway memorabilia. The South Devon Steam Railway offer a superb range of themed steam railway days out, including Santa's train, or why not drive a diesel engine or charter your own train.

The South Devon Railway, The Station, Buckfastleigh, Devon TQ11 0DZ. Tel: 0845 345 1427. Check The South Devon Railway website for more details!

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Woodlands Leisure Park, Totnes

Woodlands Leisure Park is a previous winner of the Devon family attraction of the year award, and you can see why. This is Devon family fun at it's best, in beautiful South Hams. Woodlands is situated between Dartmouth and Totnes, and situated on 60 acres. Woodlands in indoor and outdoor fun fun fun, crammed with hair-raising rides, smaller rides and playzones for the tots, an animal zone, a mini ferris wheel, indoor Wild West City and outdoor bumper boat rides. Fantastic!

Great value as well is Woodlands Family Fun park. Have your birthday celebrations, or why not stay a week on the on-site caravan or campsite. They run a host of entertainment events throughout the year at Woodlands too, with jugglers, magicians, and special themed events for things like Mothers Day and Easter!

Woodlands on-site family campsite and caravan park has one some awards too for it's superb facilities including a shop, luxury toilets and shower rooms and more. Check out the Woodlands Leisure Park website to the right to learn more about this fantastic family fun leisure park in South Hams, Devon. Highly recommended for family all inclusive Devon Fun, and what a great price!

Woodlands Leisure Park, Blackawton, Totnes, Devon TQ9 7DQ. Telephone: 01803 712598.

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Totnes Art, Shopping & Eating Out

Like quirky specialist shops, love organic, vegan and vegetarian food, love to potter about old bookshops? If yes to any or all of these, then you'll consider Totnes, ancient market town a veritable heaven. Today this South Hams town has real charm and character, with it's Elizabethan buildings, and superb selection of shops and markets. The atmosphere is decidedly bohemian, arts and crafts, wholesome foods and chilled. Totnes also has a rather friendly, eccentric character as well. It's not snotty here, and pure pleasure to potter around, with friendly locals indeed.

For great Vegetarian and Vegan food check out the Willow Vegetarian Garden Restaurant, 87 High Street, Totnes. Tel: 01803 862605. It's good value as well, with lots of organic wines and beers, and there's often live music on a Friday night. There are a choice of other restaurants and cafes on High Street.

Well worth a look as well for the work of contemporary local artists focusing on the South Hams and Salcombe estuary area, check out the superb Ariel Centre. They have many music events here as well, especially folk music. And what about the historic Dartington Hall, a recognised historic cultural centre, now a superb centre for the arts offering a selection of cinema, art and crafts, plus courses and music events. Check out the Dartington Arts weblink to the right for more details.

The Ariel Centre, King Edward VI Community College, Ashburton Road, Totnes, Devon, TQ9 5JX. Tel: 01803 869200.

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Arts & Crafts Totnes

China Blue, Station Road, Totnes, TQ9 5JR. Tel: 01803 860900. Paint your own pottery here, the kids will love it, plus a delightful arts and crafts housewares studio and shop. Espresso Bar also on-site.

Totnes Markets

As you'd expect in such a historic market town, Totnes still today has many fantastic markets.

Totnes has no less than three markets every week in high season and two markets a week for the remainder of the year. On Fridays and Saturdays visit the market in the Civic Square, where you can browse around colourful and fascinating stalls selling everything from bonsai trees, bric a brac and digereedoos as well as locally grown plants, fresh local vegetables and organic bread.

On Tuesdays in high season Totnes hosts a delightful small Elizabethan market in the main square. Visitors can expect to see some stall-holders in Elizabethan costume. Totnes also has a popular monthly Farmers Market in the Civic Hall.

Totnes & South Hams Tourist Information Centres

South Hams Tourism, South Hams District Council, Follaton House, Plymouth Road, Totnes, TQ9 5NE, Tel: 01803 861297/861149.

Totnes Tourist Information Centre, The Town Mill, Coronation Road, Totnes. Tel: 01803 863168. Open 9.30am-5pm from Mon-Sat.