Combe Martin Wildlife and Dinosaur Park
Zoo in Devon, England
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Combe Martin Wildlife and Dinosaur Park is a 28-acre wildlife sanctuary situated in Combe Martin, Devon, England. The park is home to animals such as meerkats and lemurs as well as animatronic dinosaurs.
| Combe Martin Wildlife and Dinosaur Park | |
|---|---|
| |
 Interactive map of Combe Martin Wildlife and Dinosaur Park | |
| 51.18896°N 4.00351°W | |
| Date opened | 1986[1] |
| Location | Combe Martin, Devon, England |
| Website | cmwdp |
History
The park is situated on the site of Higher Leigh, a country house built in 1851 by Henry Keene Bowden as part of the larger Lee Barton estate. After nearly a century in the same family, the property passed to four nuns from the Sacred Heart Convent in Honor Oak, London, who transformed the building into a convent for children evacuated during the Second World War, as well as serving as school to some of the children of Combe Martin.[1]
Over the following decades, the house variously served as a woolly monkey sanctuary and hotel, but had been derelict for many years when it was purchased by Robert Butcher in 1985. Originally intending to turn the house in to a nursing home, he instead created Combe Martin Wildlife Park, which opened in 1986. In 1992 the site was renamed to Combe Martin Wildlife & Dinosaur Park with the installation of animatronic dinosaurs.[2]
Attractions added later include Tomb of the Pharaohs, the Dinosaur Museum, and the Dinosaur Playzone soft-play area.[1]
In January 2025 the park was hit by a storm forcing the relocation of many of its animals. It opened three months later than usual in May after extensive repairs.[3]
Miniature railway
The site includes a 500-yard (460 m) long 15 in (381 mm) gauge railway. Originally nicknamed the Earthquake Canyon Train Ride, it ran for 150-yard (140 m) upon opening in 1989, extending to it present length in 1991. It is now known as the Dino Express, and is pulled by a Severn Lamb ‘Rio Grande’ MK2 locomotive.[4]
