Turtle Returns To Tavistock

The museum has added the ‘Tavistock Turtle’ made by the Tuscan Pottery to its collection of crested-ware porcelain china. It is a rare object as it is likely this little sea creature would not have been a popular seller in our inland town.

Decorative Chapel China

Decorative chapel china belongs to a bygone age. Such china is rarely used today and has been replaced by cheaper plain crockery. In 2019, a large quantity of chapel china was donated to Tavistock Museum by The Tavistock Methodist Circuit. This china came from local chapels, many of which have now closed. The collection now on display at the museum reflects the important role of the Methodist Church within the local community.

Victorian Police Truncheon

This police truncheon is believed to have been used by Victorian policeman Mark Merritt, to defend himself during a number of violent assaults. The truncheon was donated to Tavistock Museum following many years in the Merritt family.

Medieval Coins

In 2015 a metal detectorist found two medieval silver groats in a field in the parish of Milton Abbot near Tavistock. These have been donated by the landowner and the detectorist to the museum where they are on display.

Military Button

Recently donated to the museum by a Tavistock resident, this small button comes from a military tunic and is about the size of a 20p piece. It is a rare – possibly unique – survivor from the days when the Tavistock Volunteer Corps helped defend our shores from a French invasion force.

Pearce Potlid

The Museum has received a generous donation of a rare late-Victorian pot lid, which dates from the 1880s. The lid was found in a garden in Egham, Surrey and is only the second pot lid from a Tavistock business known.