TOTNES MUSEUM
Totnes museum, situated just below the east gate arch is a fine example of an Elizabethan merchants house and has 13 rooms on 3 floors devoted to the history of Totnes and surrounding area.
The museum houses a fine collection of period costumes and furniture, toys, coins and games. Also detailed bedroom and kitchen exhibitions.
Another excellent exhibition is a room devoted to Charles Babbage, who is widely accepted as the "father of the computer" . His grandfather was Mayor in 1754 and Charles was educated at Totnes Grammer School.
At the rear you will find cobbled courtyards and a refurbished herb garden.
Also the back of the museum is the Totnes Museum Study Centre a mine of information and archive of family and local history.
The museum houses a fine collection of period costumes and furniture, toys, coins and games. Also detailed bedroom and kitchen exhibitions.
Another excellent exhibition is a room devoted to Charles Babbage, who is widely accepted as the "father of the computer" . His grandfather was Mayor in 1754 and Charles was educated at Totnes Grammer School.
At the rear you will find cobbled courtyards and a refurbished herb garden.
Also the back of the museum is the Totnes Museum Study Centre a mine of information and archive of family and local history.
THE LEECHWELL
Totnes Leechwell, also known locally as the Leper Well as there was a Leper Hospital which closed in 1660 very close to the site, is situated at the top of Leechwell Lane, just below the Kingsbridge Inn.
The well is a set of 3 springs, each running into 3 stone baths known as Toad, Long Crippler and Snake. It has only recently been realised that behind one of the walls is a very rare triangular immersion pool fed by the wells water.
The spring water is believed to have medicinal properties and it is widely thought that the baths were used by the lepers to wash as they used Leechwell Lane as their access from the hospital to the church.
In the 1440's the use of the wells was so popular, the site was looked after by town wardens.
Even today the wells are considered to be very important to some groups, as you can see from the "adornments" on the rear wall.