Teign Heritage Centre

Teignmouth's new landmark building contains a range of interesting exhibits in two wonderful new permanent galleries, which have been carefully designed to appeal to both adults and children.

The Teign Heritage Centre offers visitors and local residents the opportunity to explore the fascinating heritage of the area as well as attend events, concerts and workshops. The eye-catching Centre also boasts impressive new visitor facilities, a roof terrace, a large meeting and events space, a shop, a dedicated research area and new archive storage.

Collections:

Centre Stage
As visitors enter the Centre they will first notice the restored Victorian Bathing Machine. Past the old pier slot machines, the ground floor ‘Sea Gallery’ looks at Shaldon and Teignmouth’s ties to the sea.

Nautical Highlights
The Sea Gallery features the remains of a 16th century Venetian vessel (the Church Rocks Wreck), which was originally found by young lad Simon Burton while diving off the beach at Teignmouth in 1975. This fascinating collection includes a cannon, a swivel gun, original ship’s timbers, and several cannonballs.

Pellew and Crowhurst
This gallery is home to the Admiral Pellew collection (the inspiration for C. S. Forester’s Hornblower character) and his flag from the Battle of Algiers (1816). The story is also told of Donald Crowhurst’s ill-fated attempt at the 1968 Golden Globe Yacht Race when he mysteriously disappeared.

A fashionable seaside resort
Up the spiral ‘lighthouse’ stairs, is the ‘Shore Gallery’, which tells of the coming of the railway and the growth of the area as a seaside resort. Then onto the roof terrace to look over the rooftops of Teignmouth.

That’s the way to do it!
Visitors will be able to step back in time into a Victorian Bathing Machine, feel the weight of a cannon ball, play on original pier machines and have a go at being a puppeteer in a Punch n’ Judy booth.

Opening hours:
10am to 5pm - Tuesday to Saturday
Midday to 5pm - Sunday
Closed Mondays (except Bank Holidays)
The Teign Heritage Centre is open in 2011 until 30th November.