• Farm workers in front of a hayrick, resting with their tools, orange tractor in the foreground
  • Three children enjoying drawing activities during a museum Family Day
  • Museum volunteer and children working on a rag rug during Family Day
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Welcome to the Kingsbridge Cookworthy Museum

Come inside the Old Grammar School and discover the story of Kingsbridge and the South Hams.

In our galleries you will find both permanent displays and special exhibitions showing how the people of the area have lived, worked and played over many generations.

A highlight of your visit may be browsing our collection of photographs from the 1870s to the present day, viewing our Cookworthy porcelain and new Costume gallery, seeing the historic collection of farm implements or investigating our Local Heritage Resource Centre for personal research and access to our archives and local records.

Whatever your interest there’s something for all the family in this lively local museum, rain or shine …

Kingsbridge Cookworthy Museum header with drawing of museum building

MUSEUM HOURS

Monday – Friday

10.30am – 3.30pm

We look forward to welcoming you

About the Museum

The Museum was opened in 1972 in the old Kingsbridge Grammar School buildings. Mrs Evelyn Northcott persuaded English China Clays Ltd to rescue the derelict building and found a museum to collect and record the social history of the area.

The Museum was named after William Cookworthy (1705 – 1780), who was born in Kingsbridge and who developed the first true hard-paste porcelain (“china”).

About the Collections

Click HERE to view the rooms in which our Collections are housed.

About the Photo Archive

Click HERE to view some examples of our extensive collection of historical photographs of the local area.

Who we are:

The Museum is run by a small committee and just one full-time paid administrator. We also have a team of dedicated volunteers and stewards, without whom the Museum could not function.

The William Cookworthy Museum Society, 108 Fore Street, Kingsbridge, Devon, TQ7 1AW is a Community Benefit Society – registered under the Industrial and Provident Societies Act 1965 for exclusively charitable purposes, registered no. 20631R.

Click HERE to find out how YOU could help.

Farm Gallery display showing hayrick and farm cart
Farm Gallery display showing hayrick and farm cart
Model headmaster figure standing at his desk in the Cookworthy Room
Model headmaster figure standing at his desk in the Cookworthy Room
Museum garden and Farm Gallery
Museum garden and Farm Gallery
'Fiddlers on the Green', two musicians performing in the Farm Gallery
'Fiddlers on the Green', two musicians performing in the Farm Gallery
Small girl with paper lantern on a pole
Small girl with paper lantern on a pole

Museum Facilities

  • Displays of artefacts from the early history of Kingsbridge through to the present day

  • A gallery of agricultural machinery and tools
  • A collection of over 30,000 photographs dating from the 1870s through to the present day
  • Costumes from the 19th and 20th centuries
  • A beautiful walled garden
  • A resource centre for personal research with many local documents
  • Microfilm copies of local newspapers from 1855 to the present

Latest News & Events

Join us…

Become a FRIEND and join our mailing list to keep up to date with all the great things happening at Kingsbridge Cookworthy Museum. Receive the latest news, special offers and advance notice of events straight to your inbox.

Click HERE to download and print the Friends’ form.

And don’t worry, we treat your contact details with the greatest respect and will NEVER pass them to third parties.

PHOTO OF THE MONTH – JUNE 2025

Colour postcard. Kingsbridge Motel, run by Mr and Mrs Fraser, c.1960’s. Swimming pool in foreground. (KIXCM: P05587). Do you have any memories of the Kingsbridge Motel?

Did you know that the Museum has a collection of over 30,000 images which are available to purchase?  Click HERE to access further details.

Visit us…

Click HERE for details

Donate to us…

Click HERE for details

KINGSBRIDGE 1939-1945 : THE IMAGE AND THE PLACE

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A new photographic exhibition commemorating World War 2 and the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe. Working in collaboration with Kingsbridge Sixth Form College students and funded by Arts Council, England. ‘The Image and The Place’ is on display in the Duncombe Room.

Volunteer…

We sometimes advertise for help with volunteering. Please contact the Museum to check if there are currently any vacancies.

Click HERE for role profile for MUSEUM STEWARDS.

Click HERE for role profile for DOCUMENTATION VOLUNTEERS.

SIX WEEKS TO GO

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This fascinating exhibition is about life in the South Hams during World War 2 as American troops evacuated whole villages (both people and cattle!) – including Slapton and Blackawton – to enable the troops to partake in D-Day preparations.  ‘Six Weeks To Go’ is in the Lorenz Room.

 
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