Newton Abbot Town & GWR Museum

Newton Abbot Town and GWR Museum

The museum now lives inside Newton's Place, a beautifully restored and adapted nineteenth century church. We cover a range of aspects of local history, including: early history and the birth of the town, the World Wars, John Lethbridge: the story of an 18th century salvage diver, the 16th century Sandford Orleigh carvings, tales of trade and industry, accounts of the lives of Notable Newtonians and the ever-popular Great Western Railway displays.

The Museum also looks after the 13th Century St Leonard’s Tower (also known as the Clock Tower) The Museum is FREE to visit. Find out more here: https://museum-newtonabbot.org.uk

Visit website

  • WWI bugle

    This bugle was owned by bugle boy Joseph Baker who was killed in 1918. The bugle was then passed to Joseph's nephew, Eddie Baker, who also became a bugle boy. Eddie went onto fight in the D-Day landings and survived to tell his tale.

  • The Sandford Orleigh carvings

    The culmination of the Heritage Lottery Fund supported Heart of Oak conservation & arts project. The Sandford Orleigh carvings have been restored, researched and installed in the museum. They are now on view to the public for the first time in 180 years.

  • The Great Western Railway

    The Great Western Railway area explores the town's links with the railways. Information is available on I.K. Brunel's engineering achievements, including his short-lived atmospheric railway system.

  • 1864 image of St Leonard's Clock Tower

    An 1864 view of St Leonard's Clock Tower showing a thriving Victorian town. St Leonard's Chapel had been removed in 1836 having fallen into disrepair. The Museum now manages the Tower, please check our website for opening times

  • Aller Vale Art Pottery

    This Aller Vale Pottery charger was made by Charles Collard (1874-1969). He was apprenticed to John Philips Aller Vale Pottery at the age of 12. He learnt his craft during the period of the Arts and Crafts movement. Collard owned the Crown Dorset Art and then Honiton Pottery.

Admission & prices

We are free to visit

Opening Hours:
Tuesday-Friday, 9:30am-4:30pm
Saturday, 9:30am-1:30pm

Closed Mondays, Sundays & Bank Holidays

Find us

We are housed in the former church directly opposite Asda.

The nearest car park is Newfoundland Way: we are very near the NorthWest corner of the carpark

Museum news

View all news articles

  • Museum Assistant vacancy

    Museum Assistant vacancy

    Museum Assistant Organisation: Newton Abbot Museum Salary:           £105 - £115 a day, depending on experience Hours:        ......

    Read article

  • Summer Volunteering Opportunity

    Summer Volunteering Opportunity

    Are you, or someone you know, looking for a short-term volunteering opportunity over the summer holidays?   We are looking for volunteers to help with our summer exhibition this year from 30th July – 31st ......

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Information

  • Toilets On-Site
  • Wheelchair access
  • Childrens activities
  • Gift Shop

We have created the museum to be fully accessible.

You can find further info here: https://museum-newtonabbot.org.uk/visiting/museum-access/

If you have needs that are not addressed, please get in touch (phone/email/facebook message)

Newton’s Place
Wolborough Street
Newton Abbot
Newton Abbot
TQ12 1JQ

T: 01626 201121
E: museum@newtonabbot-tc.gov.uk

Our videos Click on the play button below to view our videos

Podcast

Memories of Madge Mellor's Restaurant

Madge Mellor' was set up by the Ashworth family in the late 1920s and became a much loved institution with the finest cream cakes, ecclairs and meat pies in the area.

Name Time
1 A sense of place 2:52
2 Kath Winser WWII Memories 2:29
3 Kath Winser WWII Memories 1:43
4 Roberts Sense of Place 5:52

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Newton Abbot Town and GWR Museum

Newton’s Place
Wolborough Street
Newton Abbot
Newton Abbot, DEVON TQ12 1JQ