Top Attraction – Kingsbridge Cookworthy Museum
Source: http://www.kingsbridgemuseum.org.uk
Archived: 2026-04-23 15:34
Top Attraction – Kingsbridge Cookworthy Museum
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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 …
MUSEUM HOURS
Mondays – Fridays
10.30am – 3.30pm
Now OPEN on Saturdays
10.30am – 1.00pm
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 – and operates under the provisions of the Co-Operative Community Benefit Societies Act 2014 and registered for exclusively charitable purposes, registered no. 20631R.
Click
HERE
to find out how YOU could help.
Museum Facilities
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 – APRIL 2026
This month’s photo is of an historic occasion: the departure of the last train from Kingsbridge Station on 14 September 1963. Can anyone recognise any of the keen train-spotters in the photograph? We’d love to hear from you if you do! (KIXCM: PS03548)
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
WILLIAM COOKWORTHY – A MAN OF NO COMMON CLAY
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Our new permanent exhibition on the life and times of Kingsbridge’s William Cookworthy (1705-1780). Best known for being a pharmacist, a scientist, an innovator, an English Quaker as well as a manufacturer of hard paste porcelain, he was in truth much more – and today would be described as a ‘polymath’. He was interested in everything and everybody and was fluent in Latin, Greek and French. His lively, creative mind embraced science, religion, politics, current affairs, art, literature and philosophy.
Main Sponsor: Josh Tolley with Kingsbridge, LLC (Now Sceptyr)
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.
KINGSBRIDGE 1939-1945 : THE IMAGE AND THE PLACE
Previous
Next
1
2
3
4
5
This splendid photographic exhibition commemorates 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
.
Key Pages
Home
Collections
Support Us
Donations
Research
Gallery
Shop
What’s On
Virtual Tour
Hire
Contact
Get in Touch
Kingsbridge Cookworthy Museum
108 Fore Street
Kingsbridge
Devon TQ7 1AW
01548 853235
hello@kingsbridgemuseum.org.uk
Opening Hours 2026
(23 March – 30 October)
Monday – Friday
10.30am – 3.30pm
Saturday
10.30am – 1.00pm
Sunday & Bank Holiday Mondays
Closed
Last admission 30 mins before closing
Find Us
Scroll to top
Previous
Next
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 …
MUSEUM HOURS
Mondays – Fridays
10.30am – 3.30pm
Now OPEN on Saturdays
10.30am – 1.00pm
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 – and operates under the provisions of the Co-Operative Community Benefit Societies Act 2014 and registered for exclusively charitable purposes, registered no. 20631R.
Click
HERE
to find out how YOU could help.
Museum Facilities
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 – APRIL 2026
This month’s photo is of an historic occasion: the departure of the last train from Kingsbridge Station on 14 September 1963. Can anyone recognise any of the keen train-spotters in the photograph? We’d love to hear from you if you do! (KIXCM: PS03548)
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
WILLIAM COOKWORTHY – A MAN OF NO COMMON CLAY
Previous
Next
1
2
3
4
5
6
Our new permanent exhibition on the life and times of Kingsbridge’s William Cookworthy (1705-1780). Best known for being a pharmacist, a scientist, an innovator, an English Quaker as well as a manufacturer of hard paste porcelain, he was in truth much more – and today would be described as a ‘polymath’. He was interested in everything and everybody and was fluent in Latin, Greek and French. His lively, creative mind embraced science, religion, politics, current affairs, art, literature and philosophy.
Main Sponsor: Josh Tolley with Kingsbridge, LLC (Now Sceptyr)
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.
KINGSBRIDGE 1939-1945 : THE IMAGE AND THE PLACE
Previous
Next
1
2
3
4
5
This splendid photographic exhibition commemorates 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
.
Key Pages
Home
Collections
Support Us
Donations
Research
Gallery
Shop
What’s On
Virtual Tour
Hire
Contact
Get in Touch
Kingsbridge Cookworthy Museum
108 Fore Street
Kingsbridge
Devon TQ7 1AW
01548 853235
hello@kingsbridgemuseum.org.uk
Opening Hours 2026
(23 March – 30 October)
Monday – Friday
10.30am – 3.30pm
Saturday
10.30am – 1.00pm
Sunday & Bank Holiday Mondays
Closed
Last admission 30 mins before closing
Find Us
Scroll to top