Collections - Topsham Museum - Devon Museums Net

Topsham Museum

Introduction

Town model The Museum features main areas:

The Sail Loft displays the history of Topsham from Prehistoric times: Shipbuilding, fishing and maritime trade, including ship models, shipwrights' tools, maps, photographs, paintings, documents etc. Other exhibits include a model of Topsham as it was in 1900, collections of decorative items and items relating to schols, shops and trades within the Town.

The River Gallery holds a collection of historic Exe boats. Four boats were saved after the closure of the Exeter Maritime Museum.

The House dates from the late 17th century and two rooms are furnished in that period. A further room contains items inherited from Miss Holman, the founder of the Museum and her family and her kitchen is preserved.

A further room contains memorabilia of Vivien Leigh.

The Underloft. During 2010 displays will include an exhibition in conjunction with Topsham Sailing Club who are celebrating 125 years of sailing on the Exe.

Interactive displays with bird sounds, assembled with the help of RSPBa are also a popular feature.

River Gallery

Our River Gallery features a collection of unique and historic Exe river craft including the delightfully eccentric Cygnet boat (right), originally a tender to a larger 'Swan', and a mahogany skiff. In the garden you will also find an Exe Salmon Boat and an Exe Market boat, ( probably the sole surviving example of such a boat).

The Gallery has a wheelchair-accessible entrance from the garden, and a lift and stunning staircase to the refurbished Sail Loft: a real treat for all visitors.

Sail Loft

Dorothy Holman (1888-1983) created a very personal museum in 1967 for Topsham in the sail loft behind her home. This included artifacts relating to her great grandfather who owned three sailing shipyards in the port of Topsham. In her will she left the whole property to continue as a more extensive museum for Topsham and expressed her hope that the house would be used to show the home of a Topsham seafaring family.

Originally a random curio collection, the displays have been reorganised through the Lottery-funded refurbishment into a time-line of Topsham's history, from Roman occupation onward. The Trades, shops and schools are also featured.

The model of Topsham in 1900 is a popular feature, and has been brought to a central floor-based display for easy viewing.

Vivien Leigh Room

A room dedicated to memorabilia of Vivien Leigh, (who married Dorothy Holman’s brother Leigh Holman), before going on to become a star of stage and screen. Included in the display is the nightgown she wore in 'Gone with the Wind' and many unique family photographs.

Bedroom

A room set of about 1700 showing a typical merchant's bedroom. The embroidered bed hangings were created after lengthy research by a group of NADFAS members and typical wall hangings of the period are featured in this room as are dutch tiles and painted glass which are part of the decorating history of that period.

17th and 18th Century Parlour

parlour

The Parlour with its painted pine panelling reflect the period when the port of Topsham was at its most prosperous during the early 18C. The typical carpeted table as well as the Upjohn clock together with the open Bible and writing equipment set the scene for family life during that time.

Holman Room

In this room, some of Dorothy Holman's family portraits, furniture and personal items are displayed. The Holman Family Tree and other Holman memorabilia are also displayed within this room. The family tree is now in the adjacent stairwell.

holman_room

Dorothy Holman

Old Kitchen

The kitchen was fitted out just before Dorothy Holman came to this house in 1939 and is now a period piece of its own. The wooden drainer and plate rack and the varied bygone gadgets evoke many memories of days gone by and a rolling screen features images of Topsham during 1939 - 45.

Wildlife on the Exe

Photograph by John Bowers.

Topsham has a rich and varied wildlife, and is famous for its estuary birds such as the curlews, shown right, and the avocets which overwinter on the mudflats of the Exe Estuary. Some of these are featured on the touch screen displays and in photographs and information.