School groups with names from The Mary Orchard Collection

On January 13, 1944, a Halifax heavy bomber took off from RAF Lindholme for a night navigation training flight. At 20,000 feet a fire in the port outer engine led to a general fire and the aircraft breaking up with subsequent loss of control. The bulk of the wreckage, which fell at about 01:40 on January 14, was found to the east of Holsworthy, near Anvil Corner. All of the crew perished in the crash.

At about 10:45 am on the 16 December 1945 a Lancaster bomber crashed in Borough valley Mortehoe. The pilot was killed and the other six members of the crew injured. This is an account of these events both from a witness who saw it happen and the co-pilot who was seriously injured.

Bratton Fleming Churchyard Monumental Inscriptions with layout plans

Pictures from the 100th Edition of the Bratton Fleming News, Dec 2008
It was decided to show the achievements of the community; improving its environment and the richness of village life. The Then and Now pictures give some idea how the village has changed.
We thank all the photographers who contributed their pictures and presented us with such difficult choices. Their names appear in the captions. The Mary Orchard Collection supplied the black and white pictures of yesteryear.

Sales Brochure with descriptions of Bratton Fleming properties for sale in 1919.

A selection of old photographs of the village. This one shows Irsha Street. Appledore dates back to the 11th cent when a village called "Tawmouth" existed in the same place. This is reputed to be "Tawmutha" referred to in the Anglo-Saxon chronicle of 1069. The name Appledore was first used in 1335, when it was mentioned in the grant of a shop or stall "next to the strand ate Appledore". In 1540, Leland referred to Appledore as a "good village". Whilst Saxton's map of 1575 shows it marked very clearly.

Pictures compiled in the North Devon ond Disk project

Beaford Archive photographs

This collection contains images and sound clips, the latter being the responses of a range of people to the landscapes of North Devon's Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). These take the form of music, poems and general narratives. The pictures are supplied by courtesy of the North Devon AONB and may not be reproduced, copied, loaned or otherwise utilised without prior written consent of the North Devon AONB Manager.

A small selection of photographs of the town including some of the Barnstaple Operatic Society productions! This one shows the Barnstaple Bridge complete with railings on the sides dating from 1930. It was taken by Geoffrey Squire's mother.

In this collection you will find a series of images of Bideford shops and businesses, both past and present from the Bideford and District Community Archive. This drawing shows G.Boyles Outfitters (now Superdrug) on the corner of Allhalland Street ,circa 1950s.

Acknowledgements We wish to thank the following organisations for their help and approval in making the registers of St Peter`s Church, Bratton Fleming available; The Parochial Church Council of St Peter`s The North Devon Athenaeum The North Devon Records Office. The staff of the last two who carefully transcribed the registers. The Bratton Fleming History Group At some date we hope to add the nonconformist registers.

Braunton Great Field is one of only two surviving medieval open strip field systems in the UK. It is a nationally important part of Braunton heritage.

Braunton lighthouse once stood at the southern end of Braunton Burrows.

Braunton Marshes are a stunning landscape of lush farm pastures, interlaced with drainage ditches where wildlife thrives. They were drained of salt water in the mid eighteen hundreds and are still managed in much the same way today.

Images of shops in Braunton

A West Country class locomotive named Braunton once ran on the railways in the south west of England but, when railways were closed, many such engines including Braunton were sent to the scrap heap. Braunton was rescued and restored and has recently returned to active service on heritage steam railways.

General views of 20th century Broadwoodkelly village

Sounds of Broadwoodkelly, including the dawn chorus and the bells of All-Hallows church.

The Harris family lived at Wheel Barton. Ernest and his son Sydney ran a wheelwright and carpenter's business there.

Table of burials 1813 - 1992 and Table of baptisms 1753 - 1941

The Association's aim is to relieve need, hardship or distress among men and women who served in HM and Allied Forces or the Nursing Services in the Burma Campaign of the 1939-45 war. This is a collection of images of the Campaign and reminiscences of Devon people who took part.

Burton Art Gallery has a permanent collection of oil and watercolour paintings, North Devon slipware, porcelain, pewter and Napoleonic bone model ships. Local artefacts include items from local industry and a model of Bideford's long bridge.

The Chapman family lived in the Merton/Black Torrington area of North Devon in the nineteenth century. The records shown here concern Alfred Chapman ( 1836-1900), a tenant farmer, who emigrated to the USA in the autumn of 1870 after an unsuccessful legal spat with his landlord, John C. Moore Stevens. There was a gap in the diary at the time of the legal dispute , but it was resumed again recording his journey to Boston (Mass.) and eventually New York, where he met his family off a boat from England.

Members of the fair committee were under the impression that the 700th anniversary of the fair had not been marked in any way due to the fact that the event took place shortly after the coronation in 1953. In fact, research for the archive did reveal that a few new events were introduced.

Redidents of Fore Street made banners depicting their business or address to be used during the medieval celebrations

We have assembled a selection of photographs of church carvings, leaf masks and stained glass windows throughout Devon. These include carvings and masks of the Green Man, who in Celtic mythology is a god of spring and summer who disappears and returns year after year. He can be recognised as a face, often grotesque, with foliage sprouting from his mouth, nose, eyes or ears.

A collection of photographs detailing images of St Petrock's Parracombe collected by Parracombe Archaeology and History Society.

Photos taken on September evening 2009

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The Cross Tree used to stand at the cross roads in the centre of the village. It developed Dutch Elm Disease and was felled, though the arrival of a new main road was a contributing factor in itâ??s demise.

7 colour pictures of Combe Martin 2008

Browse through a collection of photographs of Devon servicemen at or preparing for war.

Forches Community Association

Beaford Archive photographs

The geology of Saunton and nearby Down End is fascinating and can reveal much about the Saunton of the past.

George Monck was born at Great Potheridge in Merton in December 1608. He was an important figure in the English Civil War, engineering the Restoration of the Monarchy in 1660. As a result, he was created Duke of Albemarle and his regiment of foot was made part of the British Army, becoming the Coldstream Guards, who maintain their links with Merton to this day. On his death, he was granted a burial place of honour in Westminster Abbey at the expense of Charles II. 2008 marks the 400th anniversary of Monck's birth.

some publications of parish magazines and essays about Georgeham (added by Julian Vayne)

Here are further details of the forthcoming Heritage Open Days Events from September 10th - 13th inclusive , organised by some of the Explore North Devon contributors. The photograph shown here shows All Saints Church , Winkleigh , mostly built during the 14th and 15th centuries (but much altered in the 19th century).

A Hunt Class Destroyer, commissioned in 1941, seeing extensive service during the Second World War.

Prior to the various Education Acts of the 1870s and 1880s - the amount of schooling a child received depended solely on their sex and their parentsâ?? financial situation, social class, religion and values. The earliest found mention of any organised schooling in Holsworthy is in 1792 when it is recorded that Mr Walter Friend of Waterloo Farm ran a boys day school â?? the only school in the entire district.

In 1852, a petition signed by 317 local inhabitants, brought about a great meeting at the Stanhope Arms Hotel, during which a â??highly influential committeeâ?? was appointed to form a company to provide a railway from Bideford to Plymouth, via Torrington, Holsworthy and Launceston, linking with the canal terminus at Blagdon Moor. Named the â??Bristol and English Channel Junction Railwayâ?? the scheme was not to reach fruition and, after initial enthusiasm the plans were shelved. Holsworthy was to wait another 25 years before getting its railway.

A copy of the records showing the Holsworthy men who gave their lives in both World Wars

Fair Week commences in the second week of July with the Court Leet, after which the Ale Tasters make their way into the town to sample the ale in all the Hostelries. Fair Day (Wednesday) commences with the reading of the Charter by the Town Crier, on the spot where the Great Tree used to be. At 12 noon the "Pretty Maid" (the identity of whom is always a closely guarded secret) emerges from the doors of the belfry to the cheers of the waiting crowd. All the tradition is still actively maintained, and the current location is the former Manor grounds, now the main town car park

The Poor Law Act of 1834 sought to set up one system of poor relief for the entire country - the Holsworthy Poor Law Union formally came into being on 1st December 1835 and, like all other Unions, its administration and operation were overseen by a Board of thirty Guardians representing its 23 constituent parishes. The first meeting of the Holsworthy Union Board of Guardians was held in the White Hart Hotel on 1st February 1837. The new Union Workhouse was built in 1853 in Mr Daweâ??s field. Designed by Mr Edward Ashworth, the â??Tâ?? shaped building was built to hold up to 80 inmates.

Beaford Archive photographs

These pictures were collated and digitised as part of the North Devon on Disk project

A collection of photographs of Parracombe past and present

Recordings of interviews conducted with business people in Hartland. The photograph is of Pearl O'Donnell who owns and runs The Shamrock on Fore Street.

ARTICLE AND PHOTOGRAPHS BY AUTHOR ALYSON HALLETT. For the past four years, Ken Sharman has worked in the tiny tollbooth at the top of the road to Hartland Quay. The toll has been in existence since around 1920. A mouse has made its home in a small hole on the right hand side of the booth and there is an adderâ??s nest on the left hand side. Ken works from April through to the end of October. Local people are exempt from paying the toll and everyone else is charged £1.50. Ken knows this area incredibly well and generously shares his wealth of information with interested customers.

Beaford Archive photographs

The Green Men & Women of Kings Nympton

This small collection of pictures illustrates Landkey's location in a shallow valley about three miles south east of Barnstaple.

Material relating to Lapford during World War I and II

This is a short tour around Lapford to show buildings of interest as they were in years gone by.

The management of Braunton Burrows must be carefully carried out in order to maintain the delicate ecosystem.

Photograph of the Marland Brick Works taken in December 2010 when students from the Marland School visited the site as part of the Cultivating Creativity project managed by Beaford Arts.The aim of the project is to give Marland students a greater insight into their community, the local industry and history. Over a six week period the students have been involved in a series of different activities and workshops based on traditional crafts. In this collection you will find a selection of images of all the workshops. Image copyright of Marland school.

On 27 June 2009, Explore North Devon joined forces with the North Devon Record Office, Devon Family History Society, local museums and the Monck 400 Group to host a History Day in the Clinton Hall, Merton. A great time was had by all and here are some images from the event.

Merton is a small parish on the River Torridge, a few miles from Torrington. Its ancient church is All Saints, built in the Perpendicular style and restored in 1875. It forms part of the Clinton Devon Estates, with its chief residence being Great Potheridge, birthplace of George Monck, Duke of Albemarle, now a Centre for Outdoor Learning. Please browse our collection of photographs for information on this historic parish.

Modern day training still takes places on the Burrows and provides useful experience in sandy conditions, which todayâ??s soldiers find useful when they reach Iraq or Afghanistan.

A different sight greets the eyes today â?? as Velatorâ??s success declined the working boats left and pleasure craft took their place.

Building ready for refurbishment.

Maya Buckley takes over from Stephen Rix as Head Teacher at The Small School in July 2009.

Famous celebrated local chef & ex-parent, Din Shaharudin, cooks delicious noodle dishes for a fund-raising meal at the school.

Covering areas such as the Royal Devon Yeomanry 1794-1924, The Home Front and Services during World War II this series of booklets (first published in 1995 contain original transcripts of interviews with local people. These booklets are in PDF format and are free to use by non-commnercial organisations.

Brochures for the North Devon Festival from 2001 until 2009

The museum is home to the largest public collection of North Devon Art Pottery. Building on the established tradition of sgraffito decoration, the three potters Brannam, Lauder and Baron produced some very distinctive work. Over 800 images are available for browsing by selecting this collection.

A selection of photographs of the village of North Tawton. This one shows a popular view of the Square.

Photographs from the Book of North Tawton

More old photos of Northam including the Square, Cross Street, Fore Street, Honey Street, North Street and Tower Street.

A few old photos of the Village.

Old Broadwoodkelly - photos of long ago.

People and places of Landkey of yesteryear are brought to life in this collection of old images. They range from pictures of the the Great Frost of 1891 when icicles hung from the village water wheel up to more recent times when the playing field was opened in 1958.

A collection of old postcards showing local people and events. If you are able to provide additional information about any of these images we would be delighted to hear from you.

This is a series of clips from interviews conducted during the 2008-2009 Big Lottery funded project at the Museum of Barnstaple & North Devon. Here you will find first hand accounts from Land girls, army personnel serving in Northern Ireland, the Faulklands, Afganistan, Iraq and more.

The Peace Tree stands in the churchyard of St Brannockâ??s church and remains a symbol of the friendship felt between the American soldiers and their Braunton hosts.

Petrockstowe farms through the years

milk farming history plus sheep

Collated from North Devon on Disk

Pictures of Combe Martin

Pictures of Fremington parish through the years, compiled in the North Devon on Disk project

Pictures of Ilfracombe and the surrounding area through the years

Pictures of South Molton taken throughout the years

A collection of pictures of Torrington and the surrounding area, and of its people.

Images of Witheridge Village and its people taken through the years

Earliest records suggest festivals developing in celebration of Barnstaple's annual fair as far back as 1435, when merchants brought with them Minstrels, Players, Jugglers and Buffoons to amuse onlookers. As a thriving trading port, Barnstaple attracted a broad range of multi-cultural traders developing the town's reputation for festival events. It is documented that a festival in 1605 attracted the touring King's Players to the town and it is thought that a certain William Shakespeare performed with them!

A small collection iof images of the Queen's Theatre Barnstaple and the John Gay Players

The familiar yellow RAF search and rescue helicopter is based at nearby RMB Chivenor and is frequently seen in the skies above the village.

A selection of photographs of local religious significance , for example St Peter and St Mary Magdalene church, Barnstaple. This photograph shows an ecunemical church procession of the Virgin Mary in the High Street, Barnstaple, dating from September 1984 . Those in the picture include: Father Michael Selmon (bearded, then Rector of Barnstaple), followed by Father Geoffrey Squire (wearing gold coat) and Father John Marks , Russian Orthodox priest (in black) .

In this collection you will find full details of the week-long Richard Stucley Festival events taking place in Chulmleigh, Devon.

In this collection you will find images of key places associated with Dr Richard Stucley as well as festival events, notably the exhibition in St Mary Magdalene Church. This photograph shows part of Dr Stucley's House, Fore Street, Chulmleigh.

In this collection you will find images of the three main festival events which took place on the 1st, 2nd and 3rd February 2011 in St Mary Magdalene Church, Chulmleigh and Colleton Manor. The photograph here shows Janet Crabtree, festival organiser, in period costume in the church on the evening of 2nd February 2011 during the drama, The Life and Times of Richard Stucley.

William Frederick Rock was Barnstaple's greatest benefactor. It is hard for us to understand the character of a man like Rock. From relatively humble beginnings he built a fortune through hard work, and then spent most of it on good causes in his home town and elsewhere. Rock Brothers made their name creating letter papers decorated with topographical vignettes. The engraved steel plates were then reused in books and booklets. Many of them are shown in this collection. Compiled for exhibition held at the Museum in 2002

Salmon fishing was once popular in the Taw Torridge Estuary.

Collection of photos showing the operation and re-furbishment of Sam Inch's Cider, now called the Winkleigh Cider Company after a short-lived take-over by H P Bulmer

The ever-popular Saunton Sands is perfect for long-board surfing and other sports, apart from the usual past times of sun-bathing, sand-castle sculpting and ice-cream eating.

Shapland and Petter produced quality furniture from its inception by Henry Shapland in 1854 to its closure in 2009. It was the biggest employer in Barnstaple for over 150 years. Shapland and Petter furniture has become increasingly sought after by collectors. This collection contains over 6,600 images of Shapland and Petter's furniture, taken from their catalogues.

Beaford Archive photographs

Past and present photographs of Shebbear Square.

Historical photographs from the archives of The Small School

St Brannockâ??s chapel is a beautiful place that also houses a sacred well. It stands in a quiet spot near St Brannockâ??s church.

The parish church of St Brannockâ??s stands proudly to the north of the village. There are many tales of the villageâ??s patron saint and the church is reputed to be the only one in the country to have the entire body of the patron saint interred within.

A church was first established in Landkey in the fifth or sixth century by St Kea. It is to this monk from Glastonbury that the village owes its name as well as its Christian roots.

A selection of colour photographs showing historical features which have been saved and incorporaetd into the fabric of Little Cross House, Goodleigh. This photograph shows one a pair of oak roof bosses from the old Ilfracombe Rectory, which were given to Geoffrey Squires' grandparents in the early nineteenth century by the Reverend Chanter.

The Tarka Trail, over 180 miles in length taking a looping route through North and Mid Devon, from the rugged Atlantic Coast, the estuaries of the two rivers of Tarka the otter fame, the Rivers Taw and Torridge through rural Devon Countryside onto the northern Slopes of Dartmoor, and the source of the River Taw.

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In the summer of 1992, mains gas arrived in the village of Landkey. These pictures record that event.

In July 1989, the new North Devon Link Road opened. This was an event which was eagerly awaited by the residents of Landkey who had suffered years of heavy traffic rumbling through their village. Ever since road traffic came into existence, Landkey had lain on the main route linking Taunton with Barnstaple meaning a daily routine of cars and lorries clogging up its narrow main street. When the first vehicles started travelling on the new road half a mile to the north of the village, all that changed forever.

The Bulb Farm, owned by Seymour Cobley Ltd, was one of Brauntonâ??s greatest employers and sent thousands of cut flowers to markets all over the country..

The variety of fauna on Braunton Burrows is fantastic and, whether illusive or common, there is wildlife to interest everyone.

There is an array of beautiful flora on Braunton Burrows, which changes throughout the year.

The tree stood at the south-east corner of the Lower Square, near No. 1 Chapel Street. A stone let into the ground (replaced in 1998 by a brass plaque) still marks the spot, and a slate tablet mounted on the adjacent building in 1975 commemorates the site. The proclamation at the opening of St Peterâ??s Fair has been read at this spot since time immemorial. The Town Crierâ??s proclamation states that it has to be made â??under the great tree of Holsworthy.â?

Owned and run by Ruth Furze, The Handy Store stocks a wide range of goods, including fishing tackle, sun hats, potting compost and lots of screws.

The striking Hercules practices landing on Saunton Sands, an awe-inspiring sight!

Braunton Lifeboat was once kept busy helping wrecks in the estuary and at the treacherous Bideford Bar.

The lives of John and Ellen Cawsey illustrate aspects of life in mid-nineteenth century industrial Barnstaple. John Cawsey, his wife, and his brothers must have been well known to the police, the magistrates, and the people of Barnstaple, for their many misdemeanours (often publicised by the North Devon Journal

In the late 1990s, fearing the loss of valuable green space in the village to development, concerned Landkey residents campaigned successfully to have ten acres of former farmland designated as a Millennium Green. Part of the Green was set aside for the planting of an orchard of mazzard cherry trees.

The diary was started in 1775 , probably by Jonas Pillman , who married Elizabeth Lock in North Tawton in 1780. He was described as a sojourner. The diary was continued by his son, James Pillman (1781-1849), who was a cooper by trade. The final entry dated 1849, reads "the last thing my father wrote before he died", which was obviously written by one of James's sons. In this short collection you will find the edited version of the diary prepared by Dr Jean Shields, who received it from the then churchwarden nineteen years ago.

Braundâ??s sail loft was once a thriving business, while shipping in the area was at its height.

Images taken by photography students at The Small School.

Braunton Station once stood on the site of Caen Street car park and connected Barnstaple to Ilfracombe, giving a direct connection to London.

A wide collection of slides taken in Devon, throughout the British Isles and abroad, between 1960 and 1980, featuring buildings, archaeology and streets.

A collection of pictures of the Torridge Vale/Dairy Crest Creamery showing buildings, staff, production, machinery and opening ceremonies.

Case of Gloving artefacts

At around 1800, Landkey boasted seven corn mills. They were powered by water and provided ground grain for local farmers. The water wheel which drove Landkey Town mill works to this day, even though the mill itself has fallen into disuse.

The Assault Training Center was established by American soldiers during World War II. They used Braunton Burrows for intensive training prior to the D-Day landings.

Some of Brauntonâ??s ships are illustrated here; from large schooners to small fishing boats, Velator Quay was once alive with working craft.

Venn Quarry has been a source of stone for road building since 1936. Limestone quarries on the site, however, date as far back as 1708.

A collection of photographs taken in and around the village of Loxhore. The image shown here shows St Michael & All Angels Church which is believed to date back over 700 years. The complete Loxhore Archive can be viewed in the Local Studies section of the North Devon Record Office, Barnstaple.

The Burrows are full of dramatic scenery and look spectacular at any time of the day and any time of the year.

The village has always been a lively place, full of friendly faces. It has seen all sorts of events throughout the years, from floods to Jubilees.

Braunton village during war time, with evacuees and the excitement of being near Chivenor air base.

West Hill is also known as Braunton Beacon and was once the place where mariners wives would go to watch for the return of their husbands. Today, there is a stunning view from the summit and it is a popular place to walk to.

A selection of old photographs of Westward Ho! This one shows a view of Westward Ho! from Northam. Westward Ho! is a very modern development. After the publication of Kingsleyâ??s book in 1855 , a company was established to develop the area as a watering place. This lead to the erection of the Westward Ho! Hotel, followed by a church and several terraces, villas and a few shops by the early 1870s. The golf course was also created at this time and quickly became known as one of the best in the country. In 1874 the United Services College was opened for the sons of serving officers.

Sat on the edge of Barnstaple, the Whiddon Valley estate is a mix of both town and country. This collection shows scenes of the development of this Housing Estate.

Collection of photographs and plans of the wartime airfield.

Images of Winkleigh Fair, from Late 1940s onwards.

Beaford Archive photographs

A selection from photographs provided by Winkleigh residents, at the request of their Parish Council, to commemorate the turn of the century. If any of the names here are wrong or missing, please contact us.

Photographs of Winkleigh through the years

Dedicated to the those who fell in the Great War. Detailed descriptions of their background and service. The records are listed in alphabetical order. The full details (as they are produced) can be found at www.winkleighheroes.co.uk or via the ACE web site www.acearch.org.uk If you have anything to contribute or any comments, please e-mail robertside@aol.co.uk

The Italian steamship Rosalia came ashore on a foggy May morning in 1904, directly below the windows of the surprised residents of Hartland Quay. She was one of the scores of ships whose stories are told in the Hartland Quay Museum.This collection from the museum features some shipwrecks and their stories.

The Post Office was originally built as a Market House. Built of red brick it stood on pillars and arches, it was a splendid building for a small market town. Corn, meat and produce was sold in the basement and on Saturdays the Broad Street or Market Place was lined with stalls selling produce and wares. The upper room was used for lectures and concerts; and as meeting room.