23rd April From slums to suburbia – a family history journey  - Paul Scott                                                                                           This story is based around my great-gran and a few generations of her family; starting in the 19th century it follows their move from the countryside to an urban environment.  Like thousands of others they found themselves living in densely packed housing surrounded by poverty and disease.  Over time, they gradually moved on to have relatively comfortable lives in better conditions.  This is an attempt to follow that journey and the lives of those around them.  It may be closer to home than you think!”

21st May  Group visit to The Glebe House by kind invitation of Philip Davies                                                                                      Members will be able to look round the Glebe House and learn more about its fascinating history. Refreshments will be available. 

18th June  Group Visit to Hartland Abbey  .                                                                                                                                              The beautiful 18thC Walled and Woodland gardens, the walks and the parkland will provide members with extensive grounds through which to wander and enjoy the stunning valley leading down to the rugged Atlantic Cove. Wildflowers proliferate – from primroses and violets, wild garlic, bluebells and foxgloves - in spring. The Exhibitions in the main house are also a must. A Steward will meet us, to give a brief talk about the Abbey’s history.             

16th July  The Pinwill Sisters – Helen Wilson                                                                                                                                         Helen will give a fascinating illustrated talk about the woodcarving sisters Mary, Ethel and Violet, who created the beautifully carved bench ends and desks in many West Country churches including Exbourne’s Church of St Mary, early in the 20th century.

11th September A visit to Alder Vineyard This visit starts at 11am.                                                                                                               Join us on a personal journey far beyond the bottle. Walk through the vines and discover the mud, sweat and most of all laughter that comes with growing grapes at the foot of Dartmoor. Then visit the winery to taste what makes our location and hands-on approach so special. Please note the date variation. We will be able to see the vines in all their glory before harvesting starts.

15th October   Hedges: a journey through time – Alan Beat                                                                                                             Hedges are significant historical features of our landscape that deserve to be valued and managed as an important resource. This illustrated talk explores the earliest origins of hedges and their uses and management through time.

19th November The History of Dartmoor in 10 Objects                                                                                                                        Every object tells a story whether it was thrown away, carefully hidden or still in use today. Dartmoor National Park archaeologist Andy Crabb has chosen ten objects which tell us more about the people who have lived and worked on Dartmoor from prehistory to the modern day. He is one of DNPA’s archaeologists and has worked on Dartmoor for over 15 years. His role is wide ranging and diverse covering all aspects of archaeological management, providing advice and even organising the occasional excavation.

17th Dec  Our Christmas Meal at The Railway, North Tawton                                                                                

21st Jan Uproar and Disorder!  - Dr Janet Few  the impact of the Bible Christians on parishes in North Devon.                                                                    What happened to small villages and communities when church-chapel allegiances divided their inhabitants? This talk looks at the impact of this branch of Methodism on nineteenth century Devon.                                                                                                   (Exbourne had a Bible Christian community as well as the current Chapel.)

18th Feb The Museum of Dartmoor Life - Kristy Turner.                                                                                                                      Kristy Turner the manager of the Museum will give an illustrated talk about the history and scope of the Museum’s work.

18th Mar    The AGM   Followed by a talk by Sue Rose our archivist:                                                                                               Brocke to Westlake: How surnames reveal the changing population of Exbourne.