Charles Dickens’ Devon Christmas Present
CHARLES DICKENS did not invent ‘traditional’, old fashioned Christmases of course, the kind that many of us still enjoy revelling in today (and so beloved…
Historical Figures
A great ‘Raleigh’ day out in East Budleigh
If you have a passion for English history, it doesn't get much more interesting than East Budleigh, because it's the place where Sir Walter Raleigh…
Colerigde’s Devonshire Childhood
EVERYONE (well, almost everyone) has heard of The Rime of the Ancient Mariner or Kubla Kahn but some of us might struggle to remember who…
Devon’s historic Courtenay Family
This issue we're delighted to bring you a detailed feature on the historic Courtenay family. Many of you are probably aware of Powderham Castle, which sits…
A Devonshire rapscallion, Bampfylde-Moore Carew
YOU COULDN’T MAKE IT UP: OR COULD YOU? The man with the unlikeliest of first names was born in Bickleigh, Devon in 1693 and died…
The Bishop and the Business of Slavery
In 1863, 30 years after parliament abolished slavery in the British Empire and at the height of the American civil war to end slavery, the…
Famous Residents – Ladies Byron and Nelson
Exmouth has a very long history as a tourist destination, in fact it was one of England's very first resorts. What you may not know…
The man they could not hang
JOHN ‘BABBACOMBE’ LEE was probably not guilty of the murder of his employer, Emma Keyse at her home in Babbacombe on 15th November 1884. The…
Napoleon’s farewell to Devon
When Napoleon exited the field at Waterloo 200 years ago this year, few could have guessed that within a few short weeks he would be…
The Drakes of Aishe
Drakes of Aishe (Musbury, South East Devon) and their link to that most famous and notorious maritime voyager, Sir Francis Drake. There was a famous incident…
The Race Home from Trafalgar
An epic 271 mile dash in a little over 36 hours - the story of how two of Nelson's serving officers, with dispatches of Nelson's…
All Change in East Devon
John Fisher discusses Catherine of Aragon's brief visit to Honiton due to a great storm in the Channel which prevented her from landing at Southampton.…