History of the Centre - Guildhall Heritage & Arts Centre

The Guildhall Centre opened in 1992 as a result of a huge effort by the Dulverton & District Civic Society. It is housed in buildings that 200 years earlier had been the stables, malthouse, courtyard and outbuildings for the Lamb Inn. Later, some of the buildings had become cottages and the rest was part of Germans Ironmongers.

The buildings were purchased thanks to the generosity of the Dulverton Trust and the newly formed Civic Society set about the task of fund-raising to make the Heritage Centre a reality. Gradually, the various exhibition spaces and galleries were opened as they were completed.

One of the four original victorian cottages was retained and gives a glimpse into the life of "Granny Baker" at the turn of the 20 century.

After the building refurbishment, in 1995 the Library and Exmoor National Park Centre replaced the ironmongers. Visitors to the Heritage Centre can walk through to the Library and National Park Centre and vice versa.

Since 2002, local railway enthusiasts have been building a working model of Dulverton Station inside the "Cheese Store" which is an annexed building (affectionately renamed "The Railway Shed") near the main Centre entrance. Although the model is "work in progress", it is open for viewings each Monday and Wednesday afternoons throughout our season from 2.30 p.m. to 4.30 p.m. and on other special days as advertised. Click here for further information about the Model Railway.

All that has been achieved at the Centre over the years has only been possibly due to the generosity of volunteers with their time, local people in supporting fund-raising, grants from the Town Council and of course the continued support of the Dulverton Trust.