The Arts Society Honiton launches new Trail of Discovery

Report from David Ward, Chair of The Arts Society Honiton:

"Around fifty members and guests enjoyed our summer social event at Allhallows Museum. There was a demonstration of lace making and an opportunity to view the extensive lace exhibition and Honiton Pottery display, not to mention the hippopotamus remains discovered when the town was bypassed in the mid-60s!

We were pleased to welcome our Mayor, Serena Sexton and town crier, Caroline Kolek to our summer social event and the launch of our Honiton Town Trail for which Caroline had prepared a special cry. We were also pleased to welcome Pauline & Michael Stewart national and local leads for Arts Society Heritage Trail of Discovery. We hope that the trail will be enjoyed by local residents and visitors to the town.

Once we started collecting the stories we wanted to tell, walking up and down the High Street, we soon realised that there was also a lot of history in the roads leading off the High Street too; it would have been a shame to lose some interesting tales so the High Street Trail became a Honiton Town Heritage Trail of Discovery which is divided into four sections which can be followed in any order.

History came through Honiton and events of historical importance took place in and around it. Honiton developed on the main road from Exeter to London as a market town and an important stage coach stopping place which supported numerous inns. Things changed with the arrival of the railway in the 1860s.

Over the years important national figures such as Nelson, Dickens and the future Queen Victoria, whilst she was still a princess, have passed through and stopped for refreshment on the way to or from Exeter.

As we are an Arts Society you will be pleased to know we have included the stories of artists who have been associated with Honiton. Some of their work is on display in Allhallows Museum and there is the Thelma Hulbert Gallery just off the High Street which house some of Thelma Hulbert’s work alongside regular new exhibitions."