Crediton Museum

Crediton Museum Crediton Museum is run by volunteers from Crediton Area History and Museum Society (CAHMS).

04/02/2026

From the Crediton Chronicle, 6th February 1941

The army and the ARP had been giving instructions around Crediton on how to use fire buckets filled with sand, and stirrup pumps (hoses with a pump in a bucket of water) as issued to ARP Wardens and Fire Watchers during World War Two.

“Ladies who gave a demonstration with sand and stirrup pumps received whole-hearted applause. They made a good job of it.

“Crediton folk seem shy of giving their names, and in some districts wardens are experiencing particular difficulty. In one part, only two persons have expressed willingness to form a squad. By The time these notes appear, we hope there will have been an improvement.The need is urgent”

Times change, some things never do. Trying to get volunteers is so often an uphill task. There’s a big difference between the need to recruit volunteers to fight fires following bombing raids, and the things we need volunteers for today, but the basic story is still the same

Who needs a weather app? Or, indeed, the Met Office? This comes from an 1879 diary used by a man from Sandford Next week...
03/01/2026

Who needs a weather app? Or, indeed, the Met Office? This comes from an 1879 diary used by a man from Sandford

Next week : an (equally) infallible plan for winning the lottery

Last minute Christmas Shopping? You're too late to buy anything from Barnes & Co - this advert comes from December 1939 ...
24/12/2025

Last minute Christmas Shopping?

You're too late to buy anything from Barnes & Co - this advert comes from December 1939 - but you might notice that the word "BARNES" (printed vertically) is still visible on the projecting wall of their old premises (just before the butchers), as you drive up the High St

Compliments of the Season from the Crediton Area History & Museum Society

Colour photographs? A bit modern for us?Can you help us to identify any of the women in these group photos?The one taken...
16/12/2025

Colour photographs? A bit modern for us?

Can you help us to identify any of the women in these group photos?

The one taken indoors includes a woman wearing a chain of office (2nd row, right). The one taken outdoors has a caption written on the back - "I.W. Summer 1982"

The photos may have become separated from a larger collection. We assume they belonged to someone living in Crediton.

Any clues, much appreciated

We've recently been given this lovely, if rather faded, photograph of Mary Ann Rice, who lived in the town, and one of h...
15/12/2025

We've recently been given this lovely, if rather faded, photograph of Mary Ann Rice, who lived in the town, and one of her sisters. The photo dates from somewhere around 1900.

We think that the house in the background is somewhere in the Crediton area - but where? The bit of the house on the right has a mock "castle" appearance, which should be something of a giveaway.

Can you help us to identify it?

We were very pleased to see so many visitors to our sale of second-hand history books rummaging through what was on offe...
16/11/2025

We were very pleased to see so many visitors to our sale of second-hand history books rummaging through what was on offer : and delighted to find how many of them went away with books they'll love - making a bit of money for CAHMS in the meantime.

The museum is now closed for the winter. We'll be opening at Eastertime, with a new exhibition for 2026 - watch this space for further details.

In the meantime, our series of monthly talks continues until May. The next one is on 12th January, when Anne Jackson will be talking to us about Witchcraft & Women in Devon.

See below for further details

08/10/2025

From the Haywards Boys’ School Logbook, 8th October 1891

The fire at Gillards in “the Green” last evening may have caused some children to be absent this morning. 230 present in the morning, 237 in the afternoon.

12th October, 1891

Funeral of Fireman Wollacott, who died suddenly at the fire in the Green on the 8th inst.

Another great find in our archives. We're all history fans, right? How would you (or more precisely, the 16 year old you...
26/08/2025

Another great find in our archives.

We're all history fans, right? How would you (or more precisely, the 16 year old you) have fared with this School Cert exam in 1928?

I suspect that some of my answers would have been marked down as "inappropriate interpretations of history"

Hot off the press!Here's the programme for our 2025/26 series of monthly talks. You'll see that the first one comes up o...
21/08/2025

Hot off the press!

Here's the programme for our 2025/26 series of monthly talks.

You'll see that the first one comes up on Monday 8th September - further details to follow

17/08/2025

Does anyone have any memories or family stories about two properties in the East Town of Crediton, particularly in the 1940s or thereabouts?

1. A building in Dean St, referred to as the “Boys’ Club”, where dances were held during World War Two? This building was said to be “near the Chantry”

2. A building in East St, referred to as “a hall later turned into a house”, where dances - and dancing lessons taught by Winnie Davey and her husband - were held in the 1940s

Tell us what you know!

Address

The Old Town Hall, High Street
Crediton
EX173LF

Opening Hours

Wednesday 10am - 4pm
Thursday 10am - 4pm
Friday 10am - 4pm
Saturday 11am - 2pm

Telephone

+441363773919

Website

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