Upottery Heritage Centre at Smeatharpe
Upottery Heritage Centre makes the wartime story of the area around your cottage tangible. At Smeatharpe, photographs and displays follow the airfield's role in the D-Day operation. The museum occupies part of the original officers' complex, including a Nissen hut.
Its photographs show aircraft and people preparing for operations, bringing a different meaning to the surrounding countryside. Aviation enthusiasts and older children interested in the Second World War can follow the sequence through the exhibits. This is a particularly local subject for a stay at Primrose Cottages near Upottery.
Visit the centre, not the wider airfield
The destination is Slough Lane, Smeatharpe, EX14 9RD. The South West Airfields Heritage Trust publishes seasonal opening arrangements. Its volunteers welcome donations, which support the centre. Most rooms are at ground level, with one exception; contact the trust if that affects your visit.
Children need adult supervision. Airfield tours are arranged separately, so a museum visit is not permission to explore other land. Dunkeswell Heritage Centre covers the area's anti-submarine aviation history and provides a complementary outing if you would like to explore more of the Blackdown Hills' wartime connections.