Here at Totnes Archives we have a truly wonderful range of interesting materials in our care.

One of our most popular acquisitions are editions of the local newspaper, the Totnes Times. With publications dating from 1860 to the present day.

Be prepared to be enthralled with tales of Totnes' scandals, murders and mayhem.

House history is another popular area of research. The archive holds deeds and early rentals to a wide range of old properties. With access to the censuses of 1841-1911, in addition to local directories from 1830, it is often possible to trace the people who lived in a particular property over the years.

We have acquired some very dirty and verminous ledgers dating from the early 1900's of Pearl assurance customers.  They were in such a bad condition that they have been deposited at the Devon Heritage Centre in Exeter and have been quarantined.  

We have also been fortunate enough to be loaned 35 deeds and maps of the property in Maudlin Road called Lakemead which we have photocopied.

We now have a bundle of letters dated 1808 -1817 the correspondence between the Windeatt and Amery families.

We also have two wills one of Stephen Boon the other of Richard Harris Watson.  

Sue and Walter King have recently completed a survey of the town boundary stones and made a short film about their findings.  

All of the above are available to view at the Archives (except for the Pearl Assurance ledgers).  

Will with codicils of Sally Adams, Ashburton, 1814

Map "Public Rights of Way around Dittisham, 1986"

"The Country Houses of Devon, Vols I & II" by Hugh Meller

Various deeds regarding properties in Totnes at The Plains (Dartmouth Inn), Leechwell Street, High Street, Christina Park, Maudlyn Close; also land at Harberton.

If you conducting your own 'Who do you think you are' the Totnes Archives are a great place to start! And our archives are more than willing to help.

For Devon family historians we have parish registers on microfiche for much of the South Hams and the eastern side of Dartmoor and also files of family information.

Help can be provided to research in other parts of the country. There is nothing we like better than the challenge of finding your elusive ancestors and solving your puzzles.

In more detail you can find information relating to; Index to Coroners’ Inquests in Totnes Times 1860 onwards, Deeds, Wills and Totnes Land Tax transcriptions as well as a host of research on the First World War relating to Totnes and local area. We also have handwritten records of WWII killed and wounded in Devon, which gives age, address, and the date of event. Added to that we have a CD of the transcript of Broadhempston parish registers 1678-1900, & we are currently compiling the Bastardy records for Totnes and surroundings, 1780-1903, from various sources. 

Archival Projects

Creating an index for Coroners’ Inquests in 'Totnes Times' from 1860 onwards

Transcribing Deeds

Transcription of Totnes Land Tax Assessments 

Transcription of Wills

Research Projects

General family history research on behalf of the public

First World War research in relation to Totnes and local area

Exhibition Projects

Preparation is taking place for an exhibition led by the archive which focuses on people who emigrated to North America from 1600's Totnes and the surrounding area.