News

Remember me
"Lizzie Lamble is my name and England is my nation,Ā Kingsbridge is my dwelling place and Christ is my salvation,When I am dead and in my grave and all my bones are rotten,Ā Upon this book you will see my name and I shall not be forgotten." These words are written on...

House Detectives
In our March '22 newsletter you may have read about the recent donation of a bundle of 19th century documents relating to buildings in the village of Frogmore in the South Hams. These records cover the period from 1811 to 1899 for several cottages, or dwelling houses,...

Norden’s Survey of Crown Lands
Crown lands in the early 17th century The Archive is a partner organisation in the Friends of Devonās Archives (FODA) project about the early 17thĀ century survey of crown lands by John Norden. In 1612 James I appointed John Norden as surveyor of the Kingās lands in...

Visiting the Archive during the pandemic
Visiting the DRA during the Covid-19 Pandemic, from February 2022.Ā The Government yesterday (21 February 2022) announced their Response Strategy for āLiving with COVID-19'. This includes the removal of remaining domestic restrictions and changes to the rules...

Finding Pike Ward
The Icelandic Adventure of a Teignmouth Sea Trader.Ā In 2016, a set of scrapbooks was rediscovered in the stores at the Devon Heritage Centre that had been made by Pike Ward to record his extraordinary life in Iceland between 1893 and 1909. The pages were full of...

Evening Lecture Programme 2022
The Devon Rural Archiveās 2022 Evening Lecture Programme. You are invited to join us at the DRA, at 7pm on the first Thursday of every month, to learn about aspects of Devonās history, archaeology and architecture, through a series of special talks. Our programme, now...

Eagle-Eyed Volunteers
Property in old photograph identified as Old Newnham.Ā We were recently contacted by a couple who had been given an album of old photographs by a relative. The family snapshots are believed to have been taken in the 1930s, but there was little information to show who...

Church Guides Donated
New to the Archive Three boxes of church guidebooks and leaflets have just been donated to the Archive, they are great resource for anyone researching their parish church or its monuments and often contain information about the history of the parish too. These will be...

South Devon Snapshots
Large collection of images donated to the Archive. Earlier this year we were approached by a lady looking to find a home for her late father's collection of historic documents, plans, photographs and books relating to South Devon. This impressive Archive of local...

Central Park, Plymouth
A park for recreation.The Archive recently received a c.1928 plan for Central Park in Plymouth. At first glance, the item looks like a history book, but when fully opened you discover a A1, linen-backed plan for the city's proposed recreation area. The plan is similar...
This content isn't available right now
When this happens, it's usually because the owner only shared it with a small group of people, changed who can see it or it's been deleted.To join our waiting list for tickets, please call 01548830832.
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.
Where we are
Devon Rural Archive, Shilstone, Modbury, Devon, PL21 0TW
Call us: 01548 830832
Email us: office@dra.uk.net