Dartmouth and Kingswear Society



Eric Preston's Book on Thomas Newcomen
Kathy Stansfield's cover for Heritage Trail 2nd Edn.

The Society's Publications

Sales of these publications contribute to the Society’s running costs. Copies may be obtained at modest prices from the Society’s talks and other events and also from:

Our current publications are:

Thomas Newcomen of Dartmouth – and the Engine that changed the World

Published in 2012, jointly with the Dartmouth History Research Group, to mark the tercentenary of the installation of the first Newcomen Engine in 1712, this book tells the story of the modest blacksmith from Dartmouth, who invented the first successful steam engine (some 63 years before James Watt made improvements to it) for pumping water out of coal mines, thereby kick-starting the Industrial revolution.

Dartmouth: A Brief Historical Guide

Completely revised in 2008, this is a highly readable short history of Dartmouth from the earliest periods to modern times. SORRY - SOLD OUT

The Dartmouth Heritage Trail

Published in 2004, revised in 2016 with new photographs by Kathy Stansfield, this provides a guided walk around Dartmouth taking in its principal points of interest.

The Preacherman of Dartmouth: The Story of the Life of John Flavel

Published 2019, this book by Society member John Mitchell tells, as Flavel’s own story, events in the life of this dissenting preacher, whose name is now remembered in the Flavel Church and the Flavel Centre.

Dartmouth Brief History
Flavel Book