News

We need you!

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...

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Life on a Devon Farm

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...

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Translating the Past

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...

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A Photographic Gem

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...

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Bygone days in Ugborough

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!  ...

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Sunday Opening

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...

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Come dine with us

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....

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Bellarmine Jar Witch-Bottle

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...

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A Chagford mystery?

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...

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A particularly special donation

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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Journey's End at Ringmore from the DRA Image Bank.
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Any guesses on the date?
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"If I'm there first, I'll put a stone on the wall, and if you're there first, knock 'en off!"
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This is the saying, according to 'Dartmoor with a Difference' by Lois Deacon, when two people plan to meet on the Moor.
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Have you heard of it? Do you know any other similar Devon sayings?
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The Folklore of Devon
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Join us for a fascinating illustrated talk by Mark Norman on the Folklore of Devon on Thursday 5th October at 7pm. Tickets are available via our website: devonruralarchive.com/the-folklore-of-devon-05-10-2023
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We came across this poem amongst the books in the Archive today. Can you make head or tail of it? HINT: Play around with the placement of the punctuation!

I saw the village-pond burning with fire.
I saw the thatched cottage bowing to the squire.
I saw a parson twelve feet high.
I saw a balloon made of lead.
I saw a coffin drop down dead
I saw two pigeons run a race.
I saw two donkeys making lace.
I saw a maiden with a face like a cat.
I saw a kitten wear a straw hat.
I saw a man who saw these too,
Who said it's strange but they're all true.
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Can you figure it out?
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Image of Clovelly from our Image Bank.
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The lost village of Hallsands.
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This post card from our image bank reads, 'It is the place that has been washed away. I daresay you have heard tale of it. I have never been.'
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You can read more about how the village came to be claimed by the sea here:

maritimearchaeologytrust.org/3407-2/
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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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