The Story of Bishopsteignton - Bishopsteignton Heritage

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What we do

With stories from medieval Bishops to Nelson’s Admirals, Bishopsteignton’s rich heritage will always inspire ardour in its villagers. To share these stories, we manage and maintain a heritage facility in Bishopsteignton…see more

Can we help you?

Whether you are researching the story of your home in Bishopsteignton, want to learn about local industries or just want to share your memories, we can help you… see more

Join the team

We are always looking for volunteers to join our happy band of researchers, cataloguers, project managers and creative contributors. There are lots of roles… see more

Bishopsteignton Football Club – The First 75 Years

It all started in 1920. It is noted in the Bishopsteignton United Programme 1998-99 that Bishopsteignton Football Club was founded prior to the 1920/21 season. Thus making the club, if not the oldest club in the South Devon League at least one of its senior members....

Molly Coombe

Molly Coombe was born on 18th October 1929 to parents Grace Coombe neé Loud and Philip Coombe. She may have been born at a local hospital but the family lived, and Molly grew up, in a house called 'Locarno' on Berry Hill, Bishopsteignton. As a girl, Molly's favourite...

Huntly Hydro and Health Spa

Part Two 1878-1949 Huntly Hydro and Health Resort. For much of the period 1878 to 1949, Huntly operated as a hotel and health resort. Successive Kelly’s directories list Charles Carpenter as the proprietor of a hydropathic establishment. Charles Frederick...

The Bishopsteignton Players: How it all Began

In September 1959 a meeting of those interested in starting a village drama group was held at Radway House, Radway street, courtesy of Colonel and Mrs Rooth. Those attending this meeting (clockwise from top in the above picture) were: Bob Caldwell, Jane Caldwell,...

Sheila Maureen Robbins, 1932-2021: A Tribute

Sheila Robbins, née Skinner was born in County Cork in Ireland in January 1932, to Sydney Parnell Skinner, a Sergeant in the Royal Engineers and Margery Mary Davey. When Sheila was very young, the family moved back to Bishopsteignton where her father had been born....

Scouting during Covid

In 2020 during the first national lockdown (March through to June) the Scouts couldn't meet in person but as a group we decided to meet every fortnight on Fridays for a zoom call. We got up to lots of things like costume evenings, quizzes, cooking and online escape...

The Story of the Manor Inn and its People – Part 2

Following on from the previous article, this chapter explores the continuing presence of the Hill Family at the Manor Inn in 1902 and subsequent owners up to 1928

Memories of World War II

Although not at the time based in the village, our long term resident Avril Avery has shared some of her childhood memories of World War II leading up to VE Day. She has kindly offered them to us to publish on this, the 80th anniversary. Contains some language “of its time”.

Leonard William John Wright

The story of evacuee Leonard Wright as described in a letter to the team at Bishopsteignton Heritage

‘All we need is an audience’ – Part Three

2014Mission AccomplishedWe looked at various options for our next show and in the end, as 2014 was the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War, we decided on a commemorative evening, "Mission Accomplished", masterminded by Richard Lamming. This was made up...

Bishopsteignton Playgroup & Preschool – Part 2

Scout HutA couple of years after Joan Leonard left (1986), the Playgroup moved from the Village Hall to the Scout Hut on Radway Hill. According to Hilary Davies, a Playgroup Supervisor at the time, the Playgroup moved because the rent had been increased at the Village...

The Story of the Manor Inn and its People – Part 1

1836The building, for many years, was best known as The Manor Inn, with adjoining cottages, barns and outhouses. It has stood in the central part of Fore Street for about 200 years. The land and properties initially belonged to Rev. Comyns who was Lord of the Manor...

Our story

The story of Bishopsteignton Heritage is rooted in an obsession with local history stretching over 100 years into the past…