Tavistock Subscription Library

02/03/2026

21/02/2026

Join local guide Simon Dell for this intriguing evening stroll looking at the darker side of Tavistock which he patrolled as a police officer on many dark winter evenings. Murder, su***de and other dastardly occurrences will be discussed on our walk. Not for the faint hearted.

21/02/2026

📣 Event Reminder – Friday at 7pm!

Join us on Friday, 27th February for Simon Dell’s upcoming Guildhall Talk about the Reverend Bray’s intriguing carved boulders on Dartmoor.

Come along to hear about this curious character, his bardic runes, and the fascinating carvings that form part of his “Sermons in Stones.”

🗓 Friday, 27th February
🕖 7:00pm
📍 The Courtroom, Guildhall
🎟 Free to attend (donations to the Guildhall are always welcome)

You can also view the “Keeping the King’s Peace” exhibition in the Robing Room from 6:00pm before the talk begins.

A great evening of local history awaits. We hope to see you there!

15/02/2026

Thanks for the mention, THT. The subs library is staffed by volunteers every Friday 10-12 when all are welcome to pop in to read, browse, ask questions. A thriving independent local studies library and a charity funded by members' subscriptions, Tavistock Subscription Library has been in Court Gate since 1830. Contact the library to register for free downloads from our catalogue online at https://tavistocksublib.slls.online/

Many of you have been asking how you can keep abreast of plans, developments and opportunities to participate in the Rediscovering Tavistock Abbey project.

Easiest way, follow this feed - click ‘follow’ up top

Or check on www.heritageintavistock.org

There will be many ways in which you will be able to participate over the 2 year duration of the project - and beyond

As a small taster - here’s (probably) the oldest picture we have of Tavistock Abbey - from a 1240 map of Henry III’s perambulation of Dartmoor. ( yes that’s almost 800 years ago!)

You can find wonderful information like this in the equally wonderful Tavistock Subscription Library

Didn’t know we had a subscription library? It’s in Court Gate and is the home to almost every resource about Tavistock’s amazing history.

Keep your eyes 👀 peeled !!

15/02/2026

📣 ~ SHOUT OUT! ~ 📣 📷
Do you have any family photos dating between 1850 ~ 1950 which depict fashions of this period? 🎩🪭 Would you like your photo to be part of a forthcoming exhibition? If so, we would love to hear from you!

Please email Tavistock Museum [email protected]
in the first instance and someone will get back to you.

Thank you! 😃👍

06/02/2026

The museum garden is beginning to look springlike

16/01/2026

The Museum of Policing in Devon & Cornwall collects, preserves and celebrates the history of policing in Devon and Cornwall. We encourage people to explore and enjoy the law enforcement and social history of the beautiful southwest region of England.

16/01/2026

Tavistock's Heritage Quarter is waking up from its winter snooze ...

16/01/2026

📣Announcing Tavistock Library's Spring 2026 lectures.

Discover the town’s rich past in a new series of six illustrated one-hour talks by archaeologist and historian Andrew Thompson. Through the stories of famous and forgotten figures, each talk brings the town’s history and heritage vividly to life. Perfect for newcomers and seasoned history lovers alike, every session concludes with an engaging and informal discussion.
There are six talks in total, all taking place on Saturdays from 2.00–3.30 pm, beginning on Saturday 14 February. Ticket's can be bought at Tavistock Library. £5 per lecture or £25 for all six.

Saturday 14 February
1.Sex, Sinners and Salvation: Tavistock Abbots, Thomas Larcombe and Reverend Bray

Saturday 21 February
2.Soldiers, Statesmen and Romantics: Tavistock and the Bedfords

Saturday 28 February
3.Engineers and Entrepreneurs: John Taylor, John Rundle and the Industrial Revolution

Saturday 7 March
4.‘All the Duke’s Men’: John Benson, Theophilus Jones and 19th-Century Improvement

Saturday 14 March
5.Tavistock Radicals: Charles Hall, Henry Solly and William Morris

Saturday 21 March
6.Hidden from History: Tavistock’s 19th-Century Women Writers

30/12/2025

Blow away the cobwebs on New Year's Day, with a leisurely guided walk around our beautiful town of Tavistock in the company of knowledgeable and entertaining walking guide Simon Dell.
The walk leaves from The Bedford at 2pm on Thursday 1st January, and tickets are just £14 per person, including a well-earned Devon Cream Tea to finish!
Spaces are limited - call The Bedford on 01822 613221 to book your place for a great afternoon out!
Visit Tavistock

11/12/2025

Don’t miss Simon Dell’s final history talk of 2025 at the Guildhall Heritage Centre – Dartmoor Sett Makers’ Bankers

📅 Friday 19th December 2025 | Courtroom, Guildhall Heritage Centre

Join writer and historian Simon Dell as he presents an illustrated exploration of Dartmoor Sett Makers’ Bankers – the remarkable granite-working sites scattered across the moor. Discover the stories, techniques, and people behind this distinctive part of Dartmoor’s industrial heritage.

📌 Doors open: 6:45pm
📌 Talk begins: 7:00pm
📌 Location: The Courtroom, Guildhall Heritage Centre
📌 Entry: Free (donations to support the Guildhall Heritage Centre are always appreciated)

You can also browse a range of Simon’s books, available from the Tavistock Visitor Information Centre , open 10:00am–4:00pm, Monday to Saturday, until 23rd December.

This is a wonderful opportunity to enjoy one more engaging evening with Simon before he returns in 2026 with a new programme of fascinating talks.

We look forward to welcoming you.