Programme of Speakers 2021 - 2022.  This is the revised programme following the lifting of Covid restrictions.

19th May    Research in the Parish Churchyard with Tim Hawkins

Members are invited to join us to continue work by the Group to document and photograph part St Mary’s Church graveyard.                                                                                    

16th June    Meldon Walk – Paul Rendell 

Paul will lead us on a 11/2 hour walk looking at the industrial history of North Dartmoor. The walk will include a look at a glass factory, a limestone quarryand a copper mine , amongst other interesting things. (Paul regularly leads walks on Dartmoor and his extensive knowledge of the Moor).

 

21st July     Tollhouses and Milestones of Devon – Tim Jenkinson (postponed)

21st Sept    Uncle Tom Cobley and All! – Todd Gray

Todd’s interest in Tom Cobley began in 1995 when he happened upon an unknown version of the song and he realised then that those lyrics were much older than those which Sabine Baring Gould had made famous in 1889. Todds talk tells the long and fascinating story of the song and includessome surprises from the through research undertaken.

19th Oct    Murder Madness and Mayhem    Stuart Windsor

This talk is about the journey that Stuart’s distant, less illustrious relatives took through various institutions across Devon and beyond. As the title suggests it covers those who did not have the best start in life and went through schools, workhouses, the asylum and of course prison.

16th Nov   The ACE Moistown Archaeology Project,  – Janet Daynes

The Project started in 2008. Although most of the site was covered with scrub, the earthworks,at Moistown, as well as  medieval and post medieval settlements showed a lot of potential for further work. Since then the scrub has been cleared, earthwork, dowsing and geophysical surveys have taken place. Since 2013 excavation has been carried out for three weeks every year up to 2019. This talk is the history of the project.

21st Dec     Our Christmas Celebration                                                                                 

                    Our members dinner – The Railway, North Tawton

18th Jan    Lydford and the Stannary Towns  -  Simon Dell

Lydford Law not only became a Dartmoor Tradition its fame spread nationwide and became synonymous for meaning ‘unfair justice’. In Tudor Times if anyone was unfortunate enough to be thrown into Lydford Gaol they could expect to be hung before they were judged! This talk is the interesting story of the Dartmoor tinners.

15th Feb      “Sandford Heritage”-Mike Brett

The economic importance of serge to the village of Sandford near Crediton, in C17/C18.  The Sandford Heritage group commissioned the weaving of a type of serge called Sandford Perpetuana which for a while was rated the best serge in the area, if not the country. An insight to the work of the Sandford Heritage  Group                                                           

15th Mar    The AGM                                                                                                                

               followed by More Thoughts of an Exbourne Maid - Margaret Weeks

Margaret wrote a book in 2006 about her life in Exbourne. Her talk will about some of the things not included but since remembered.

 

Please note all meeting take place at 7.30p.m.in the Village Hall.

 

We are most grateful for the continued support of our sponsors:

The Red Lion, Exbourne

and

Exbourne Cross Garage Ltd