Historic Attractions
Whether you are interested in Museums, Historic Houses, Abbeys, Castles or Gardens you will find that South Devon offers you a fantastic selection of interesting places to visit.
We have a fine selection below and are in order of distance from Thurlestone Parish.
Cookworthy Museum, Kingsbridge -- A historic grammar school in the high street of Kingsbridge makes a fine location for this museum of rural life. (4 miles)
www.kingsbridgemuseum.org.uk
Salcombe Maritime Museum -- A treasure trove of models, paintings, photographs and artifacts which tell the story of Salcombe’s links with ships and the sea from ancient times. (7 miles)
www.salcombemuseum.org.uk
Overbecks, Salcombe -- An elevated coastal Edwardian House of inventor Otto Overbeck with gardens of fascinating and exotic plants with great views overlooking the estuary and coastline. (7 miles)
www.nationaltrust.org.uk
Totnes Castle -- A classic motte and bailey castle, founded soon after the Norman Conquest looking over this Saxon town. (16 miles)
www.english-heritage.org.uk
Dartmouth Castle -- A pair of forts, the other being Kingswear Castle, guarding the mouth of the Dart Estuary with beautiful views. Built in 1388 under the direction of John Hawley. (17 miles)
www.english-heritage.org.uk
Dartmouth Museum -- A small, fascinating museum housed in an atmospheric old merchant's house, built around 1640. A real historical treat holding Dartmouth's heritage. (17 miles)
www.dartmouthmuseum.org
Berry Pomeroy Castle, Totnes -- In a deep wooded valley, Berry Pomeroy Castle is the perfect romantic ruin with a colorful history of intrigue. (18 miles)
www.english-heritage.org.uk
Saltram House & Gardens, Plympton -- A magnificent 18th century Georgian mansion and country estate that lies in the heart of this historic parkland. (18 miles)
www.nationaltrust.org.uk
Plymouth City Museum & Gallery -- It has nine permanent galleries featuring natural history, world cultures, Ancient Egypt, archaeology, local/maritime history, fine and decorative art collections. (20 miles)
www.plymouthmuseum.gov.uk
Buckfast Abbey, Buckfastleigh -- Forms part of an active and living Benedictine monastery which started in 1018 and has gardens a shop and a restaurant . (22 miles)
www.buckfast.org.uk
Greenway House & Garden -- Agatha Christie's past holiday home holding her unique family collections and
woodland gardens with peach house and vinery. A must see! (22 miles)
http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk
Torre Abbey, Torquay
An old Abbey some 820 years old transformed into a fine country home with impressive art collection and picturesque gardens with exotic plants. (24 miles)
www.torre-abbey.org.uk
Torquay Museum -- Grand Victorian Museum of local history and Torquays heritage with artifacts and a gallery dedicated to Agatha Christie. (25 miles)
www.torquaymuseum.org
Bygones Victorian Street, Torquay -- Privately-run museum illustrating everyday life during the last two centuries. Includes a victorian street, an Anderson air raid shelter and 1950's shopping arcade. (26 miles)
http://www.bygones.co.uk
Buckland Abbey, Yelverton -- A 700 year old house once the home of seafaring adventurers Sir Richard Grenville and Sir Francis Drake (28 miles)
www.nationaltrust.org.uk
Coleton Fishacre House & Garden --- A beautiful Art Deco holiday home of the D'Oyly Carte family of the 1920's with extensive gardens with an array of Mediterranean plants (28 miles)
www.nationaltrust.org.uk
The Garden House, Yelverton -- owned by the Fortescue Garden Trust, an independent charity. Discover one of the most romantic naturalistic 8 acre gardens in England. (30 miles)
www.thegardenhouse.org.uk
Cotehele, Cornwall -- A medieval house with Tudor additions and a valley garden. (35 miles)
www.nationaltrust.org.uk
Powderham Castle, Exeter -- Currently home to the 18th Earl & Countess of Devon in extensive grounds holding a play fort. deer park and safari and lots more as well. (40 miles)
www.powderham.co.uk
Castle Drogo, Exeter -- This is the last castle ever built in England in extensive landscaped gardens with moorland and woodland grounds. (42 miles)
www.nationaltrust.org.uk
Exeter Cathedral -- One of the great cathedrals of England, and one of the finest examples of Gothic architecture anywhere. Everyone who walks through the doors is inspired, engaged and moved by its magnificence. (43 miles)
www.exeter-cathedral.org.uk
Mount Edgcumbe, Nr Plymouth -- It is the former home of the Earls of Mount Edgcumbe. Set in Grade I Cornish Gardens within 865 acres Country Park on the Rame Peninsula, South East Cornwall. (44 miles)
www.mountedgcumbe.gov.uk
Killerton, Exeter -- Fine 18th-century house with renowned historical fashion collection. Glorious landscape garden surrounded by parkland, with many rare trees in the grounds (49 miles)
www.nationaltrust.org.uk
Bicton Park & Botanical Gardens, Nr Exeter -- 300 years of horticultural history, these magnificent grade 1 listed gardens. Superbly landscaped park combines 18th century tranquility. Glasshouses, countryside museum, Woodland Railway train ride, nature trail, maze, mini golf, children’s play areas, restaurant and shop.
(53 miles)
www.bictongardens.co.uk
We have a fine selection below and are in order of distance from Thurlestone Parish.
Cookworthy Museum, Kingsbridge -- A historic grammar school in the high street of Kingsbridge makes a fine location for this museum of rural life. (4 miles)
www.kingsbridgemuseum.org.uk
Salcombe Maritime Museum -- A treasure trove of models, paintings, photographs and artifacts which tell the story of Salcombe’s links with ships and the sea from ancient times. (7 miles)
www.salcombemuseum.org.uk
Overbecks, Salcombe -- An elevated coastal Edwardian House of inventor Otto Overbeck with gardens of fascinating and exotic plants with great views overlooking the estuary and coastline. (7 miles)
www.nationaltrust.org.uk
Totnes Castle -- A classic motte and bailey castle, founded soon after the Norman Conquest looking over this Saxon town. (16 miles)
www.english-heritage.org.uk
Dartmouth Castle -- A pair of forts, the other being Kingswear Castle, guarding the mouth of the Dart Estuary with beautiful views. Built in 1388 under the direction of John Hawley. (17 miles)
www.english-heritage.org.uk
Dartmouth Museum -- A small, fascinating museum housed in an atmospheric old merchant's house, built around 1640. A real historical treat holding Dartmouth's heritage. (17 miles)
www.dartmouthmuseum.org
Berry Pomeroy Castle, Totnes -- In a deep wooded valley, Berry Pomeroy Castle is the perfect romantic ruin with a colorful history of intrigue. (18 miles)
www.english-heritage.org.uk
Saltram House & Gardens, Plympton -- A magnificent 18th century Georgian mansion and country estate that lies in the heart of this historic parkland. (18 miles)
www.nationaltrust.org.uk
Plymouth City Museum & Gallery -- It has nine permanent galleries featuring natural history, world cultures, Ancient Egypt, archaeology, local/maritime history, fine and decorative art collections. (20 miles)
www.plymouthmuseum.gov.uk
Buckfast Abbey, Buckfastleigh -- Forms part of an active and living Benedictine monastery which started in 1018 and has gardens a shop and a restaurant . (22 miles)
www.buckfast.org.uk
Greenway House & Garden -- Agatha Christie's past holiday home holding her unique family collections and
woodland gardens with peach house and vinery. A must see! (22 miles)
http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk
Torre Abbey, Torquay
An old Abbey some 820 years old transformed into a fine country home with impressive art collection and picturesque gardens with exotic plants. (24 miles)
www.torre-abbey.org.uk
Torquay Museum -- Grand Victorian Museum of local history and Torquays heritage with artifacts and a gallery dedicated to Agatha Christie. (25 miles)
www.torquaymuseum.org
Bygones Victorian Street, Torquay -- Privately-run museum illustrating everyday life during the last two centuries. Includes a victorian street, an Anderson air raid shelter and 1950's shopping arcade. (26 miles)
http://www.bygones.co.uk
Buckland Abbey, Yelverton -- A 700 year old house once the home of seafaring adventurers Sir Richard Grenville and Sir Francis Drake (28 miles)
www.nationaltrust.org.uk
Coleton Fishacre House & Garden --- A beautiful Art Deco holiday home of the D'Oyly Carte family of the 1920's with extensive gardens with an array of Mediterranean plants (28 miles)
www.nationaltrust.org.uk
The Garden House, Yelverton -- owned by the Fortescue Garden Trust, an independent charity. Discover one of the most romantic naturalistic 8 acre gardens in England. (30 miles)
www.thegardenhouse.org.uk
Cotehele, Cornwall -- A medieval house with Tudor additions and a valley garden. (35 miles)
www.nationaltrust.org.uk
Powderham Castle, Exeter -- Currently home to the 18th Earl & Countess of Devon in extensive grounds holding a play fort. deer park and safari and lots more as well. (40 miles)
www.powderham.co.uk
Castle Drogo, Exeter -- This is the last castle ever built in England in extensive landscaped gardens with moorland and woodland grounds. (42 miles)
www.nationaltrust.org.uk
Exeter Cathedral -- One of the great cathedrals of England, and one of the finest examples of Gothic architecture anywhere. Everyone who walks through the doors is inspired, engaged and moved by its magnificence. (43 miles)
www.exeter-cathedral.org.uk
Mount Edgcumbe, Nr Plymouth -- It is the former home of the Earls of Mount Edgcumbe. Set in Grade I Cornish Gardens within 865 acres Country Park on the Rame Peninsula, South East Cornwall. (44 miles)
www.mountedgcumbe.gov.uk
Killerton, Exeter -- Fine 18th-century house with renowned historical fashion collection. Glorious landscape garden surrounded by parkland, with many rare trees in the grounds (49 miles)
www.nationaltrust.org.uk
Bicton Park & Botanical Gardens, Nr Exeter -- 300 years of horticultural history, these magnificent grade 1 listed gardens. Superbly landscaped park combines 18th century tranquility. Glasshouses, countryside museum, Woodland Railway train ride, nature trail, maze, mini golf, children’s play areas, restaurant and shop.
(53 miles)
www.bictongardens.co.uk