West Devon

Properties and events in West Devon

Before heading out for your Heritage Open Days visit, please check entries for last-minute changes.

Print selected events below

'Ruins and Monuments'

The Guildhall, Guildhall Square, Abbey Place, Tavistock, Devon, PL19 0FW
In person
Pre-booking not required

'Ruins and Monuments' is an ongoing project that combines photography with graphic work and paintings

19th Century Gothic or triumph of recycling?

The Guildhall, Guildhall Square, Abbey Place, Tavistock, Devon, PL19 0FW
In person
Pre-booking preferred

A guided tour of Tavistock Guildhall complex and its architectural features and uses over the centuries.

A curated visit to Hurdwick Quarry

Hurdwick Quarries, Devon, Tavistock, Devon, PL19 0LL
In person
Pre-booking required

Discover a hidden gem of Dartmoor’s industrial past with an exclusive guided tour of Hurdwick Quarry

A Guided Tour of Lydford Castle and Saxon Town

Lydford Castle, Lydford, Okehampton, Devon, EX20 4BH
In person
Pre-booking required

Join our English Heritage Property Curator for an exclusive free guided tour of this fascinating site.

Bedford Cottages and Tavistock Canal

Court Gate, Bedford Square, Tavistock, Devon, PL19 0AE
In person
Pre-booking not required

Exhibitions with a focus on Bedford Cottages and the work of John Taylor and Tavistock Canal.

Buckland Abbey

Buckland Abbey, Buckland Abbey, Yelverton, Devon, PL20 6EY
In person
Pre-booking not required

When you visit Buckland Abbey, you follow over 700 years of footsteps; from the Cistercians who built the Abbey and farmed the estate, to seafarers Grenville and Drake who changed the shape of the house and the fate of the country.

Castle Drogo

Castle Drogo, Drewsteignton, Exeter, Devon, EX6 6PB
In person
Pre-booking not required

High above the Teign Gorge on the edge of Dartmoor stands Castle Drogo. Reminiscent of a medieval fortress the castle was designed and built between 1910 and 1930 by renowned architect Sir Edwin Lutyens for self-made millionaire Julius Drewe.

Castle Drogo's Hydro Turbine Open Day

Hydro Turbine House, Teign Gorge, Drewsteignton, Exeter, Devon, EX6 6PW
In person
Pre-booking not required

The hydro turbine house on the river Teign will be open to have a look around.

Curworthy Cheese - 17th century cheese making

31 The Market, Tavistock, Devon, PL19 0AL
In person
Pre-booking not required

17th century cheese making at Country Cheeses

Discover Tavistock’s Secrets in Stone: A New Walk for 2025

The Guildhall, Guildhall Square, Abbey Place, Tavistock, Devon, PL19 0FW
In person
Pre-booking not required

Explore Tavistock’s story told in stone on this gentle hour-long walk. From medieval abbey cloisters and Georgian vicarages to neo-classical streetscapes and a splash of Art Nouveau, discover how national trends in architecture shaped Tavistock.

Echoes of St Eustachius

St.Eustachius Church, Plymouth Road, Tavistock, Devon, PL19 8AU
In person
Pre-booking not required

A celebration of the musical heritage of the parish church of St Eustachius and the church's magnificent organ inaugurated by SS Wesley.

Exhibition Open Day at Providence Chapel at Throwleigh on Dartmoor

Providence Chapel, Throwleigh, Devon, EX20 2HZ
In person
Pre-booking not required

We offer a warm welcome (with home-made teas) to Providence Chapel, Throwleigh, where you can see a special exhibition of the Dartmoor Photographs of Chris Chapman. In 2023 Providence was the winner of two 'Open to Visitors' National Church Awards.

Explore Ancient History in Tavistock's Vicarage Garden

The Vicarage, 5a Plymouth Road, Hollybank, Tavistock, Devon, PL19 8AU
In person
Pre-booking required

Visit and learn about the 6th century Early Christian memorial stones in the Vicarage Garden.

Finch Foundry

Finch Foundry, Sticklepath, Okehampton, Devon, EX20 2NW
In person
Pre-booking preferred

Finch Foundry was a mainstay of Dartmoor's industrial landscape for 150 years, producing up to 400 tools per day for local industry. The waterwheels and machinery are still mostly operational today. Tours of the site start on the hour from 1100-1500.

From Abbey School to Tavistock College

Duke of Bedford Statue, Guildhall Square, Abbey Place, Tavistock, Devon, PL19 0FW
In person
Pre-booking not required

This guided walk – from Abbey School to Tavistock College – gives insights into Tavistock students’ stories and their places of education

Living in the Abbey – A Creative Workshop for Young Explorers

The Guildhall, Guildhall Square, Abbey Place, Tavistock, Devon, PL19 0FW
In person
Pre-booking not required

Step back in time this Heritage Open Days with a special hands-on workshop for primary school children, set in the atmospheric Courtroom of Tavistock’s historic Guildhall.

Lydford Gorge

Lydford Gorge, Lydford, Okehampton, Devon, EX20 4BH
In person
Pre-booking not required

Explore this steep-sided river gorge, filled with temperate rainforest, carved into the western edge of Dartmoor. Descend into the Devil's Cauldron pothole on a platform over the water, and take in the 30-meter-high Whitelady Waterfall.

Mount Kelly School, Tavistock

Parkwood Road, Tavistock, Devon, PL19 0HZ
In person
Pre-booking not required

Tours of Mount Kelly School led by senior pupils

Museum of Policing in Devon & Cornwall Open Day

Court Gate, Bedford Square, Tavistock, Devon, PL19 0AE
In person
Pre-booking not required

After exploring the Guildhall — visit the museum for children's activities and "Design a cell"

Plymouth Road Cemetery , Tavistock

Tavistock Town Cemetery, Plymouth Road, Tavistock, Devon, PL19 8BY
In person
Pre-booking required

Join Chris Bellers from Tavistock Local History Society for a guided walk around the grounds and buildings of the Plymouth Road Cemetery.