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We need you!
Volunteers Wanted for the Devon Archive at Shilstone Are you a reliable individual with a passion for local history, architecture, and rural landscapes? Do you enjoy interacting with a diverse range of people and providing excellent customer service? If so, we would...
Life on a Devon Farm
The social anthropologist and photographer, Dr Jacqueline Sarsby, has recently donated her photographic collection to the DRA. In the coming months these striking monochrome pictures will be added to our Image Bank and also put on display in the Archive. During the...
Translating the Past
Norden's Survey of Crown Lands - An Update. The Archive is a partner organisation in the Friends of Devon’s Archives (FODA) project concerning the early 17th century survey of crown lands by John Norden. In 1612 James I appointed John Norden as surveyor of the...
A Photographic Gem
Earlier this month we were very excited to receive a collection of 78 photographs of historic Exeter from the Exeter Historic Buildings Trust. The images had all been captured by the firm of Bradford based photographer Walter Scott in the first half of the 20th...
Bygone days in Ugborough
Earlier this week we received this charming set of images showing Ugborough in days gone by. They were scanned into our Image Bank by our wonderful team and the originals were returned to the owner. We hope you enjoy them as much as we have. Stay in the loop! ...
Sunday Opening
We are delighted to announce that, from the 20th November until the 18th December inclusive, the Archive will be open on Sundays. So, if you have ever wanted to visit but have not been able to pop-in during our normal opening hours, now is your chance! Our Research...
Come dine with us
From Sunday 20th November 2022 you will be able to enjoy a delicious, freshly cooked Sunday lunch at Shilstone. Served in a beautifully restored former hay barn, the set menu of either one or two courses will be prepared by the in-house team of highly skilled chefs....
Bellarmine Jar Witch-Bottle
Charms against witchcraft - Witch Bottles. With Halloween just around the corner we thought we would share one of the spookier archaeological finds from our excavations at Shilstone House. Witch bottles from the seventeenth and eighteenth century have been found all...
A Chagford mystery?
This wonderful picture was recently shared with us in the hope that we may be able to identify the location and artist. In the corner is written 'Wick Brook, Chagford' but there is no signature or date. Could it be Weeke Brook at Chagford? Or is this a different...
A particularly special donation
This incredible collection of sale particulars has just been donated to the Archive by the family of Charles Head, a Kingsbridge based firm of auctioneers and surveyors that was established in 1902. Over the years the Head family have collected a large number of these...
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We wouldn't be able to so carefully and diligently preserve our collection here at the Archive if it wasn't for the dedicated volunteers who make up our team.
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Take a look at some of the wonderful items they are looking after!
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Want to get involved? Send us a message and we'll get back to you with further details.
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It's Volunteers Week! Between now and the 7th of June we will be marking and celebrating the valuable contribution that volunteers make to the Devon Rural Archive.
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To kick start the week we thought we'd share this fantastic photo from our Image Bank of the Volunteer Inn in 1878. Just look at those outfits!
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#VolunteersWeek #VolunteersWeek2023
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How lovely are these photos from our Image Bank of the ponies at Princetown?
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Do you have a Dartmoor Pony story? One of the volunteers at the Archive couldn't get back into their car once as the ponies had surrounded it and wouldn't move out of the way!
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Did you know that the last duel in Devon occurred in 1833 between the judge Sir John William Jeffcott (pictured) and Dr Peter Hennis? You will if you read yesterday's post! If you'd like to delve deeper into this tragic event why not join Prof David Pugsley for our evening lecture on the subject this Thursday 1st June at 7pm?
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Tickets are available here: devonruralarchive.com/when-the-judge-shot-the-doctor-01-06-2023/
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What are your plans this bank holiday weekend? Why not pay us a visit. The Archive and Cafe are open this Saturday and Sunday and you can combine your visit with a sunny stroll around the gardens on Sunday too.
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This photo from our image bank is of Johnny Brent outside the Smithy in Bigbury in 1920.
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Stay in the loop!
Join the DRA Friends to receive the latest news from the archive as well as details of our events and exhibitions by email. Please add office@dra.uk.net to your list of contacts to prevent our messages being banished to your Spam folder.
Where we are
Devon Rural Archive, Shilstone, Modbury, Devon, PL21 0TW
Call us: 01548 830832
Email us: office@dra.uk.net
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