News
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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Many of you will know our Curator, Abi Gray, from your visits to the Archive, our monthly lectures or having attended a house or garden tour. Abi has been an integral part of all the Archive has to offer and her steadfast leadership has resulted in what the Devon Rural Archive is today. However, the time has come for Abi to move on from her role as Curator here at the DRA. We know you will all join the Volunteers and Trustees at the Devon Rural Archive in wishing her the very best for the future and in thanking her for all her hard work over the last 15 years. Abi will remain in post until the 15th of December, when the Archive will be closing for Christmas. Please do get in touch before then if you would like to personally thank Abi or wish her well.
Stay in the loop!
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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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