What
The Elizabethan House Museum is a three-storey 1575 Tudor merchant’s house in the centre of Totnes, Devon.
Opened
1962.
Collection
The museum traces the history of Totnes and its surrounds from prehistory to the present day. It has flint tools, Saxon coins and displays relating to Charles Babbage, the 19th-century father of computing, who lived in Totnes.
“Our most iconic item is the Lee ring, one of two made in the middle of the 17th century for Katherine and Christian, the granddaughters of Rychard Lee who provided the Guild of Merchants with a building for their meetings,” says the museum’s administrator Alan Langmaid.
Katherine’s ring came into the town’s ownership in 1931. “The second ring was found in the V&A,” says Langmaid. “The two were reunited, first at the V&A and then in Totnes in time for our 50th anniversary.”
Help at hand
Langmaid is also heritage officer for the town council. The museum’s 50 volunteers staff the shop and change the many exhibitions.
Budget
All operating costs are met by the trust fund, which is financed by income from admission fees (£2.50), shop sales, study centre services and donations. A relatively new income stream has recently emerged – paranormal investigations. Many visitors have reported the sense of a “presence” – in the museum.
“It boosts both income and visitor numbers in a most imaginative way,” says Langmaid.
“At £200 a group visit, the museum does not need many to make all the difference between surplus and deficit on the balance sheet.”
Highlights
“My favourite item is a small ball of wool wound from end scraps of different coloured yarns. This item is over 500 years old and was found buried in the wall of the parish church.”
Visitors
5,000 a year.
Sticky moment
“The roof fell off,” Langmaid says. “Nail sickness resulted in some slates going airborne.” The town council paid for a new roof.
Survival tip
“Become as independent as possible,” says Langmaid.
Current project
The museum has applied to the Heritage Lottery Fund for money to expand its study centre, exhibition space and storage.
www.devonmuseums.net/totnes
The Elizabethan House Museum is a three-storey 1575 Tudor merchant’s house in the centre of Totnes, Devon.
Opened
1962.
Collection
The museum traces the history of Totnes and its surrounds from prehistory to the present day. It has flint tools, Saxon coins and displays relating to Charles Babbage, the 19th-century father of computing, who lived in Totnes.
“Our most iconic item is the Lee ring, one of two made in the middle of the 17th century for Katherine and Christian, the granddaughters of Rychard Lee who provided the Guild of Merchants with a building for their meetings,” says the museum’s administrator Alan Langmaid.
Katherine’s ring came into the town’s ownership in 1931. “The second ring was found in the V&A,” says Langmaid. “The two were reunited, first at the V&A and then in Totnes in time for our 50th anniversary.”
Help at hand
Langmaid is also heritage officer for the town council. The museum’s 50 volunteers staff the shop and change the many exhibitions.
Budget
All operating costs are met by the trust fund, which is financed by income from admission fees (£2.50), shop sales, study centre services and donations. A relatively new income stream has recently emerged – paranormal investigations. Many visitors have reported the sense of a “presence” – in the museum.
“It boosts both income and visitor numbers in a most imaginative way,” says Langmaid.
“At £200 a group visit, the museum does not need many to make all the difference between surplus and deficit on the balance sheet.”
Highlights
“My favourite item is a small ball of wool wound from end scraps of different coloured yarns. This item is over 500 years old and was found buried in the wall of the parish church.”
Visitors
5,000 a year.
Sticky moment
“The roof fell off,” Langmaid says. “Nail sickness resulted in some slates going airborne.” The town council paid for a new roof.
Survival tip
“Become as independent as possible,” says Langmaid.
Current project
The museum has applied to the Heritage Lottery Fund for money to expand its study centre, exhibition space and storage.
www.devonmuseums.net/totnes