Crafts and Handmade Gifts in Totnes
Buying a handmade gift in Totnes is satisfying for two reasons. First, you almost always learn something about the maker, often from staff who know them personally. Second, you take home a piece that carries the marks of how it was made. This guide picks out the shops and galleries where local craft is the point, not an afterthought.
Eastgate Gallery
Eastgate Gallery, set at the foot of the Eastgate arch on the High Street, has become the central showcase for contemporary craft in Totnes. The gallery rotates work by makers from across the South West, with a current focus on ceramics, glass, textiles, painting, metal collage, printmaking, woodwork, enamel art and jewellery. Pieces range from small affordable cards and prints up to investment-level studio ceramics and original paintings.
The owners are themselves makers and curators, which shows in how the work is hung and lit. Visiting feels closer to a small museum than a shop, and prices are clearly displayed. Open Tuesday to Saturday.
Me and East
A short walk up the High Street, Me and East at 55a occupies a historic slate-fronted house and curates a tight selection of handmade gifts, homewares and small-batch goods. Each piece carries information about the maker, which is one of the pleasures of the shop. Expect ceramics, prints, candles, textiles and stationery from independent designers across Britain, with a particular strength in Devon and Cornwall.
Dodo by Dodo
Dodo by Dodo, under the Eastgate clock tower arch, is part gallery, part gift shop. The space focuses on bronze artwork, hand-carved ceramics, contemporary sculpture and original prints. It is one of those shops where you pop in for a card and leave thinking about something rather larger. The location alone, framed by the medieval arch, makes it a memorable stop.
The Forest & Co.
The Forest & Co. at 84 High Street is less about one-off craft and more about colourful, well-designed homeware: glassware, ceramics, candles, baskets and accessories. Many lines come from small UK studios and European designer-makers, with prices pitched to make a gift purchase feel reasonable. Open Tuesday to Saturday from 10:30am to 5pm.
Creative Crafts and Needlework
For makers rather than buyers, Creative Crafts and Needlework sells everything from knitting wool and patchwork fabric to zips, threads, pom-poms and felt. The shop is a long-standing favourite of South Devon needleworkers and is the natural stop if you are looking to start a project or finish one. Staff are happy to advise on yarn weights, fabric quantities and the kind of practical questions that beginner crafters need answered.
Workshops and Try-Your-Own
If you would rather make than buy, The Craft Yard, a short walk from the centre of Totnes, hosts pottery experiences, courses and a membership for ongoing access to a clean, bright studio. The Cider Press Centre at Dartington also runs pottery painting, throwing classes and clay sculpting sessions for visitors. Both are good options for a half-day in Totnes when the weather turns.
Markets for Handmade Goods
The Totnes Indoor Artisan Market in the Civic Hall runs on the second Tuesday of the month from April to November and features over 20 local makers, including jewellery, knitted toys, handmade chocolate, clothes and textiles, cards, prints, mosaic art and dried flowers. The Totnes Sunday Food and Craft Market, held on the first and third Sundays of the month from 10am to 3pm, brings a similar mix of makers alongside food stalls.
The annual Totnes Christmas Market on Tuesday evenings in December is the most concentrated showcase of local craft in the year, with over 70 stalls across the town centre.
Practical Notes
Craft shops in Totnes generally open from 10am to 5pm, Tuesday to Saturday, with some Sunday opening in summer. The High Street is steep and cobbled in places. Eastgate Gallery and Me and East both have small step-ups at the door; staff will help where possible. Park at Heath Way (TQ9 5GA) for the upper High Street or the Lamb (TQ9 5UH) lower down.
If you are buying as a gift, ask about wrapping. Most independent shops offer free or low-cost wrapping in recyclable paper, and several will post a piece to a UK address if you would rather not carry it home. For larger pieces, particularly studio ceramics or framed prints, ask about courier options at the point of purchase.
How to Spend a Craft-Shopping Afternoon
If you have three or four hours and want to make the most of Totnes’s craft scene, start at the top of the High Street with The Forest & Co. and Drift, then work down through Me and East and the Eastgate Gallery, finishing under the clock tower at Dodo by Dodo. From there, drive or take the bus to the Cider Press Centre at Dartington for an hour or two among the working studios. The combination gives you a survey of both contemporary curated craft and live-making, with enough variety to find pieces at any budget. Pack a tote bag, allow time for conversation, and accept that you will probably come home with more than you planned.