Kingsbridge Cookworthy Museum has undergone something of a transformation and has reopened for the season.

Chair of the museum Philip Cole explained the rationale:

"We're very keen to increase the footfall into the museum.

"We're at the top end of town, so we're not immediately accessible, but we believe that what we've got here is worth coming to see.

It's not just the collections that are historic as Philip recounted:

"Our building dates from 1670, founded by Thomas Crispin.

"It was built as a grammar school for the poor boys of the parish.

"Crispin was a wool merchant and was based in Exeter, although he was from Kingsbridge, and he gave money to the school.

"The school eventually moved, up to what is now Scholars Walk at the top of town, and then from there over to where Kingsbridge Community College is.

"The museum and the school building languished for many years until English china clays were looking for somewhere to have exhibitions for Cookworthy porcelain.

"They eventually decided to close it and have an exhibition museum space nearer to where they're based in Cornwall.'

There was a formidable lady called Evelyn Northcott as Philip explained:

"She was a lady of the parish, one of those great ladies.

"She bludgeoned and badgered Lord Aberconway, so much so that he gave us this building.

"We're very lucky to own the freehold of this building.

Fast forward to 1999 and the museum as we now know it was created as Philip told us:

"We've started this project here in the entrance hall."

“We're showcasing our collection of 30,000 photographs which everyone can access via the kiosk in the upstairs room and we also wanted to introduce the history of Kingsbridge hence the maps in the map lobby.

"There's the history of the building itself here, we've got information on the founder, the grammar school, and the museum.

"We have a wonderful pub sign from the King's Arms Hotel, which we've used as the basis for the colour scheme in the museum.

"We've got a lovely dark terracotta, a pale blue, a dark blue, which we've used in this room. There's a fabulous new shop area, plus a steward's desk and we want people to know that we're open as a shop.

We have chocolates, fudges, jams, and honey as well as other stuff all from local suppliers.

"For people who may not have money to enter the museum, because we do charge for entry, the garden is free.

"We certainly encourage people who want to come and just maybe bring some lunch and sit in the garden.”

"It's a community space and we would like people to feel they can come in and use it if they want to buy something on the way out, we won't stop them.

As well as a whole new look, the museum they has also added a brand new kiosk allowing visitors to access all of their comprehensive collection of photographs throughout the history of the town which can be printed and purchased.

The Museum’s Six Weeks To Go exhibition is now open and is just one in a masterfully curated collection of Kingsbridge history.

For more information visit: https://kingsbridgemuseum.org.uk/