Local History

I have recently starting posting about John Hayward’s fantastic book Dartmoor 365; the one about Pixies’ Cross can be read here, and the one about Cuckoo Rock can be read here. Dartmoor 365 has a simple concept: the whole of Dartmoor is broken into 365 individual square miles, with Hayward discussing a particular feature in […]

Back in August 2021 I posted the first, in what I hope will become, a regular series that covers John Hayward’s fantastic book Dartmoor 365. The purpose of the book is simple enough, with Dartmoor being split into 365 square miles, with Hayward commenting on a particular feature within that square mile. The summer-time always […]

This is a series about the history of the former hamlet of King’s Tamerton, in St. Budeaux, Plymouth, Devon. The first part outlined definitions of King’s Tamerton (what it is and what area it compromises), and the second part outlined its possible Roman origins. The third part delved into a suggested theory of its supposed links with the ancient […]

Whilst enjoying a couple of hours walking around Burrator Reservoir finding geocaches I came across the ruins of Leathertor Farm. I spent a few minutes circling the ruins and taking photographs, whilst attempting to imagine how the farm may have looked in the past. The handy information board provided an overview of the farm’s history, […]

This is a series about a brief history of the former hamlet of King’s Tamerton, in St. Budeaux, Plymouth, Devon. The first part outlined definitions of King’s Tamerton (what it is and what area it compromises), and the second part outlined its possible Roman origins. Part 3 continues with speculation regarding its ancient origins. Although […]

After a disrupted year due to Covid, I am happy to announce that the fifth William of Orange History Walk was successfully held last week on Friday 9th July by members of the History with English FdA team from University Centre South Devon. I have posted previously about the walks completed over the past few […]

Whilst looking through various old files on an old laptop I came across a few interesting photographs of St. Budeaux Church. My wife took these photos around fifteen years ago (2005-06ish) during a time in which we went exploring various churches in Devon and Cornwall: I would jot down words associated with historical curiosities in […]

I had a pleasant surprise whilst scrolling through my Facebook feed yesterday when I came across a Plymouth Live article. Plymouth Live is the social media face of the local newspaper – the Herald – and perhaps the best way to describe its perspective and purpose is by highlighting its seeming addiction to “click-bait” headlines. […]

Earlier this month I crossed the Tamar river to find a few geocaches just outside of Saltash in Cornwall. I parked in Forder village and walked alongside the water from the creek out toward the Lynher river. Whilst doing so I took a few photographs of the rail-bridge that connects Cornwall to the outside world. […]

Back in late December, before Lockdown #3, I managed to get out and about in the local area to go for a walk with my daughter around Plympton Castle. The castle is an interesting one in that it is now surrounded – mostly – by urban expansion, and it lies – seemingly- hidden from the […]

This is the fifth post in the so-called “Month of Posts”; part of a personal challenge that I have set myself on reaching three years of this blog existence. The idea of this post – and its title – has been sat in the draft section of my blog for almost three years; during this […]

Over the Christmas period I was able to take advantage of some free time to go on some walks in Devon to find geocaches and to generally “geek-out” about local history sites. Writing this now, whilst living within a new national lock-down, I do envy this greater freedom to leave the area in which I […]

Regular readers of this blog will have noticed that I have a continuing obsession: the history of a forgotten and now destroyed pub. The pub is the Blue Monkey in Plymouth and this fascination has continued for over a decade and my intention was to put out a short book on its history. During 2019 […]

This article first appeared in The Cornish Banner in 2008. It outlines the connection of a branch of the Trelawny family – a family with strong Cornish connections – to the bordering parish of St. Budeaux in Devon. I have long held a fascination for the Budshead Manor, and hope at some point to release […]