Britannia Museum, Britannia Royal Naval College
Britannia Museum, Britannia Royal Naval College
As the site of officer training for the Royal Navy for over a century, Britannia Royal Naval College in many respects resembles a living museum, not unlike a stately home, in which modern day-to-day life exists in parallel with a rich history and tradition.
The College is an imposing Edwardian building that stands on Mount Boone overlooking the town of Dartmouth. It was designed by Aston Webb, opened in 1905, and is responsible for the initial training of officers for the Royal Navy. Dartmouth has been associated with the training of potential officers since 1863 when the warship, HMS Britannia, arrived in Dartmouth to be the Officer Training College.
The Britannia Museum is housed in one of the former Cadet Gunrooms and was opened in 1999 by His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh. The Museum explores the history of Officer Training at Dartmouth.
College Archive
The College Archive has a large collection of Midshipmen's journals and punishment records from HMS Britannia. There are a number of famous cadets whose punishment records make interesting reading, such as that of Prince Edward from 1877, which is displayed in the Museum.