A one-day special tribute to Sidmouth’s Victorian antiquarian Peter Orlando Hutchinson, to feature artefacts from Exeter’s RAMM

A one-day special tribute to Peter Orlando Hutchinson will be hosted by Sidmouth Museum next Wednesday.

The town’s notable benefactor, Victorian diarist, antiquarian and naturalist, lived in Sidmouth for more than 70 years and remains one of its most iconic figures.

Tom Cadbury, curator of antiquities at Exeter’s Royal Albert Memorial Musuem, will showcase a selection of items collected by POH, including flints from sites around the town.

A small selection of more special objects, including the bronze Centaur figurine found on Sidmouth beach, (pictured) will also be shown.

Tom said: “Hutchinson is an incredibly important figure in the history of Devon archaeology.

“His surveys, sketches and notebooks give us so much information about Devon monuments, many of which have been damaged or destroyed since his time.”

Philippe Planel is conducting a three-year volunteer-based project: In the Footsteps of Peter Orlando Hutchinson, led by East Devon AONB and he will discuss some of the results found so far, displaying some imaginative contemporary depictions of POH’s views in photography and paintings, by students from Sidmouth College and Newton Poppleford Primary and POH volunteers.

Museum curator Dr Bob Symes said: “This gives us a chance to showcase some of the 500 artefacts collected by POH. We have copies of his diaries and other POH books that will be on display as well as lots of activities going on.

“People know he lived at the Old Chancel and it arouses much interest in visitors, who would love to see inside.”