promoting the study of history in the South West of England through publishing and transcribing original records
See our most recent DCRS podcast :
Our Hon Editor Catherine Rider interviews Paul Cockerham,
editor of the DCRS publication for 2024, Cornish Churches in the Nineteenth
Century: The Church Notes of the Lysons Brothers and Sir Stephen Glynne, vol. 1
(A-L)
See it at https://youtu.be/sgZ9VpffDQU
DCRS podcasts on YouTube
We have created two series of podcasts over recent months : they are available to view on YouTube.
Go to You Tube DCRS Playlists to select those you want to watch.
The complete list of podcasts in these series is :
New Research about Devon & Cornwall, 2022 Podcasts
John Allan (on North Devon pottery in Barnstaple, 1640 - 1670; Richard
Newcourt’s Map),
Peter Christie, (Bideford in the Second World War),
Prof. James Clark (The Dissolution of the Monasteries),
Dr Sam Drake (Cornwall, Connectivity and Identity in the fourteenth century),
Paul Holden (The Distinctiveness of Cornish Buildings),
Ian Maxted (The Story of the Book in Exeter & Devon),
Dr Richard Oliver, William Birchynshaw’s Map of Exeter, 1743),
Prof. Stephen Rippon (Exeter, a Place in Time),
Chris Robinson, (Plymouth in the Age of the Petrol-driven Motor Car, 1896-1939),
Chris Robinson (Plymouth before the war, from the air, then and now),
Prof. Mark Stoyle (A Murderous Midsummer; the Western Rising of 1549)
New Research about Devon &
Cornwall, 2023 Podcasts
Gloria Dixon (For the Love of Trees in Plymouth and Beyond),
Tony Gale (Crediton & the Great Fire of 1743),
Dr Todd Gray (Devon Parish Taxpayers, 1500 – 1650, volume
3),
Dr Julia Neville (Devon Women in public and professional life, 1900 - 1950),
Dee and Mike Tracey (The Memoir of John Butter),
Dr Leslie Trotter (Cornwall Herstory),
Dr Helen Wilson (The Remarkable Pinwill Sisters)
An online talk given by Dr Jill Cobley
Presented by the Devon & Cornwall Record Society in conjunction with the DA's History Section.
Wednesday, 20 April 2022 at 14:00
For full details and to book see:
https://devonassoc.org.uk/event/james-davidsons-church-notes-1826-1844-history-section/
A lecture in aid of Ukraine
Todd Gray is giving a lecture at Exeter Guildhall ('Exeter’s Struggle for Freedom') on 13 April to raise funds for Ukrainian refugees in Exeter. Anyone interested can book as below, those who would like to donate but cannot attend - please use the link for my crowdfunding page below.
Doors open at 13:15
Tickets £10.00
See:
https://www.exetercornexchange.co.uk/whats-on/exeter-its-own-struggle-for-freedom/
to book tickets
For those who cannot make the event but would like to donate to help those in the Ukraine please use this link:
https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/exeterukraine?utm_term=3zxrep33j
On a wet and windy March day, the Society formally launched its latest publication, James Davidson's East Devon Church Notes, at the parish church of Ottery St Mary. Edited by Jill Cobley, this volume contains the hitherto unpublished notes written by James Davidson (1793 - 1864) for 110 churches in East Devon. Jill Cobley, introduced by the Society's Hon Editor, Catherine Rider, described her approach to this study and provided some interesting insights about Davidson's work and how it has preserved a valuable record of many churches before they were radically altered by Victorian restorations.
Members will have received their copies of the book, but further copies are available from our publishers, Boydell & Brewer, at £30. Please see their website https://boydellandbrewer.com/search-results/?imprint=devon-and-cornwall-record-society for further information.
Exeter in the 1640s and 1650s, confrontation, settlement and realignment
Dr Todd Gray MBE
Delivered via Zoom
11 January to 15 February 2022
10:30 - 11:45
A six week online course looking at the city during the Civil War and in Cromwell’s decade which followed. These years were a particularly frantic period in Exeter’s history and challenged public and private loyalties (and conscience). Comparisons will be made with other parts of Devon, notably Dartmouth and Barnstaple.
Fee: £36.00
Each Zoom lecture is illustrated and will be followed by a question and answer session. A recording of each lecture is available to course members for the following seven days.
Bookings can be made through https://stevensbooks.co.uk/product/zoom-course-exeter-in-the-1640s-and-1650s/
or, contact Stevensbooks direct on 01392 459760 and pay by phone.
Online bank payments can also be made.
Online lectures, each starting at 14:00, free to members, £3.00 fee through Eventbrite for non-members.
Winter Series, 2022
Four diverse approaches in understanding place and the past.
29 January
Dr Todd Gray, 'Understanding Dartmouth, Crediton and Colyton through parish rates, 1500-1650'
Taxation records survive for three distinctly different Devon communities and these reveal how each emerged in different ways out of the Reformation.
Non-members may book through: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/dr-todd-gray-understanding-dartmouth-crediton-and-colyton-1500-to-1650-tickets-229263231497
5 February
Professor Stephen Rippon, 'Exeter: A Place in Time – Roman and medieval Exeter in its hinterland'
This talk will outline the development of Exeter from its origins as a Roman legionary fortress and Roman town, through to a medieval city of flourishing fortunes. A series of plans will outline the changing layout of Exeter over time, while the use of scientific techniques has shed new light on its economy. Exeter will also be placed within its wider regional and international hinterland.
Non-members may book through: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/prof-stephen-rippon-roman-and-medieval-exeter-in-its-hinterland-tickets-229306831907
12 February
Dr Catherine Lorigan, 'Boconnoc: it is the paradise of Cornwall'
This talk will discuss the development of the estate at Boconnoc, including the house and associated buildings. Over many centuries, it has been owned by a number of Cornish families. Their influence, both locally and nationally, will be considered.
Non-members may book through: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/dr-catherine-lorigan-boconnoc-it-is-the-paradise-of-cornwall-tickets-229311134777
26 February
Dr N. W. Alcock & Dr Martin Cherry, ‘Medieval Cornish Buildings: New Discoveries’
The opportunity to apply tree-ring dating to three Cornish houses and one barn has transformed our knowledge of the county's medieval buildings. This talk will discuss their dating, architectural evidence and social context.
Non-members may book through: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/dr-n-w-alcock-dr-martin-cherry-medieval-cornwall-new-discoveries-tickets-229316159807
Spring Series, 2022:
Church fittings
12 March
Michael Swift, 'Cornwall’s stained glass crown jewels'
A very personal selection of the best stained glass (sacred and secular) in Cornwall. The selection covers seven centuries and include some of the best in the country. Cornish windows are unique in England in the ways in which a distinctive Cornish identity is portrayed through the medium of stained glass.
Non-members may book through: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/michael-swift-cornwalls-stained-glass-crown-jewels-tickets-231793740317
26 March
Dr Jo Mattingly, 'Rood screens and lofts in the Diocese of Exeter'
Many rood screens survived the Reformation and Georgian 'opening-up' of churches in Devon. Cornish examples are less complete, though more varied in style. This talk will examine form, including painting, carving, alabaster in lofts and local versus Breton craftsmen. Function and impact of screens, lofts and early organs on Perpendicular architecture will also be considered.
Non-members may book through: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/dr-jo-mattingly-rood-screens-and-lofts-in-the-diocese-of-exeter-tickets-231796147517
2 April
Nigel Browne, 'A Confounded box of whistles: church organs in Devon'
The organ is very often the largest object in a church, and in terms of replacement cost one of the most valuable. They are largely ignored by church historians, but their long and varied history epitomises the changes in liturgical, architectural and social practices over the last few centuries.
Non-members may book through: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/nigel-browne-a-confounded-box-of-whistles-church-organs-in-devon-tickets-231807812407
23 April
David Cook, ‘Victorian stained glass in Devon’s churches’
For the past twelve years David has been researching the stained glass of Devon dating to between 1800 and 1939. The variety of documentary evidence has been different from what was expected, particularly in the case of the local firms. With about 4,000 windows in the date range Devon also has glass from nearly all of the national stained glass firms, with some superb examples.
Non-members may book through: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/david-cook-victorian-stained-glass-in-devons-churches-tickets-231809587717
The Devon & Cornwall Record Society is running its last Lockdown series of posts from 1 April 2021 on the legacies of deceased historians, archivists, librarians, curators, archaeologists whose work has had a substantial mark on how we understand or study Devon or Cornwall. Each day a tribute will appear on our FaceBook page along with a weekly catch up on our website. These posts are being written by a wide variety of individuals.
Those which have already appeared include John Hooker, Audrey Erskine (Exeter Cathedral), Frances Rose Troup (Ottery St Mary), William Merrifield (Tavistock), Crispin Gill (Plymouth), Donald Macnee Stirling (Newton Abbot), William Borlase (St Just in Penwith), Martin Dunsford (Tiverton), Walter Gale (Plymouth) and Dave Fisher (Exeter).
Ancient maps of Exeter that have been unseen for centuries have been found...
Visitors to the site may notice a 'members' tab at the top of the screen.
Please note this area is under construction at present (Ferbruary 2021) and is not accessible.
In due course members of the DCRS will be supplied with a password to gain access to this area.
Online lectures: The Use of Documents in Research
Free to members of the Devon & Cornwall Record Society and guests.
Each lecture starts at 14:00 and is accessed via Zoom.
Saturday, 12 Dec 2020
Dr Todd Gray, `Devon’s cloth merchant travel journals, 1730-1800’
Saturday, 16 Jan 2020
Irene Andrews, ‘Devon maps’
Saturday, 30 Jan 2021
Prof. Catherine Rider, ‘Magic, Healing, and Popular Belief in Medieval
and Early Modern Documents’
Saturday, 6 Feb 2021
Tony Gale, `Reconstructing Tudor Crediton’
Saturday, 13 Feb 2021
Prof. Maryanne Kowaleski, ‘Sources for the Maritime Trade of Medieval
Devon and Cornwall’
Saturday, 6 Mar 2021
Dr Kate Osborne, ‘Pulling it Altogether - the gentle art of prosopography
and Elizabethan Exeter’
Saturday, 17 Apr 2021
Dr Oliver Padel, `The 1327 Lay Subsidy for Cornwall’
To book email todd@toddgray.co.uk A link will be sent on the day of the
lecture. Zoom opened from 13:30
The Devon & Cornwall Record Society is running a series of daily posts on the use of documents in the two counties and much further afield.
Specialists will discuss how one document has altered our understanding of an aspect of history.
The posts will be on the society’s Facebook page here - open to all to view.
The series starts on 1 January 2021.
Some of the 150 books being shipped this week by our Hon. Secretary, Elly Babbedge, to our members as part of the DCRS book sale.
The deadline for joining the Society and receiving a copy of the Exeter Cloth Dispatch Book has now been extended to 1 December 2020.
Please see the earlier post here for full details.