Totnes - town in Devon, England

Totnes, Devon is an English Market town. The village of Dartington is just outside Totnes, as is Dartington Hall.

Understand

The Dartington Hall Estate was purchased Dorothy and Leonard Elmhirst in 1925. They wanted to create an "experimental" estate with forestry, farming and educational projects. This led to the opening of a school, a tweed mill, sawmills, a cider company and the famous Dartington glass works.

The school, which has now closed, used novel methods, similar to those used by A.S. Neill at Summerhill . Aldous Huxley's children went to Dartington Hall, some of the educational methods in his novel Island are based on the Dartington School.

Get in

By train

• Totnes railway station, 50.4356°, -3.68868°. has trains from London Paddington via Exeter, Plymouth and Penzance. Trains are run by Great Western and Crosscountry. 2017-03-20

Get around

See

• Fore Street and High Street, both lined with Tudor period buildings.
• Totnes Castle, Castle Street, TQ9 5NU, 50.431667°, -3.689131°, +44 1803 864406. Situated on a promontory, commanding the River Dart, Totnes Castle was built by the Normans at a point where three valleys meet. Despite little remaining of the original motte and bailey castle, other than the earthworks, the stone enclosure of Totnes Castle's keep, built at the summit of the motte, has survived to the extent of being one of the best preserved in England. adults £3.60, children £2.20, concessions £3.20
• Berry Pomeroy Castle, Berry Pomery, TQ9 6LJ (2 miles east of Totnes), 50.448099°, -3.636818°, +44 1803 866618. adults £4.90, children £2.90, concessions £4.40
• Totnes Information Centre, The Town Mill, Coronation Road, TQ9 5DF, 50.43153°, -3.68297°, +44 1803 863168, enquire@totnesinformation.co.uk. Run by Totnes Town Council, Totnes Information Centre represents a good starting place for visitors to the town. 2015-12-26
• Dartington Hall Estate, Dartington Hall TQ9 6EE, 50.451°, -3.694°. Extensive grounds and gardens of the former school. 2021-04-02

Do

• South Devon Railway, 50.4394°, -3.6856°. Daily Apr - Oct + some other days 4+ trains per day. 7 mile steam railway to Buckfastleigh £12.40 return
• DartingtonARTS. Theatre, dance and music performances
• Dartington International Summer School of music.

Buy

• Dartington Crystal. a famous glassworks
• Cider Press Centre. a group of shops

Eat

• Barrell House.

The Cott Inn, Cott Ln, Dartington, TQ9 6HE, 50.44241°, -3.70849°, +44 1803 863 777, info@cottinn.co.uk. 2021-05-30

Roundhouse Cafe, Lower Drive, Dartington Hall, Dartington, TQ9 6EN, United Kingdom, 50.45216°, -3.69322°.

Drink

• Sharpham (dead link: January 2023) is a vineyard and dairy farm on the River Dart, tours available.

Sleep

• Steam Packet Inn, St Peter's Quay, 50.427567°, -3.682816°, +44 1803 863880.
• Glazebrook House, Glazebrook, South Brent TQ10 9JE, 50.417°, -3.845°, +44 1364 73322. Alice-in-Wonderland themed hotel, but no children under 15 or dogs. B&B double £200 2020-06-08
• The Bull Inn, 102 High St, Rotherfold TQ9 5SN, 50.430°, -3.691°, +44 1803 640040. Lively inn and bistro with rooms, dog-friendly. B&B double £120 2021-05-30

Go next

• Dartmouth
• Kingsbridge
• Salcombe