The Sail Loft, Topsham Museum - Topsham Museum

Added: 24 February 2016

The Sail Loft was built in 1854 to make sails for sailing ships that used the River Exe and far beyond.  Today this light airy space tells the story of Topsham. A timeline begins with the prehistoric period, through the centuries to the 20th century. 

The Sailloft displays a fascinating doll’s house made by Mr Beavis in 1860; it is in fact a model of Weir House, now the Exeter Golf and Country Club. Mr Beavis lived in Topsham and was the estate carpenter for the Duckworth family. The house was given to the Museum in 1985 by Mrs Duckworth-Bradshaw and renovated. Some of the furniture was supplied by Top Hat Furnishers of Exeter,and over the years items have been added by Society members. This past winter Mr Peter Grinyer has been rewiring the lighting in the house and this meticulous and fiddly job has now been completed. The new lighting makes a huge difference to seeing each room and will intrigue both adult visitors and children in 2016.

 During the early part of the 20th century Miss Holman bought this house. In 1986 she opened the sail loft as a museum and thirty years later visitors continue to be invited to explore and learn about the history of this house and town.