Unearthing the hidden treasures of our history
 | | HISTORIC LANDSCAPE: A 1765 map of Eat Devon. |
AMATEUR sleuths and history buffs can explore a myriad of treasures, including letters written by Lord Nelson during the Napoleonic wars, at the new £3 million Devon Record Office.
Nobody knows just how many records are housed in the 56,000 square foot state-of-the-art facility in Exeter, which was opened in March.
The archive contains an amazing collection of historical documents including letters from George III, Sir Walter Raleigh and an account of the battle at Clyst St Mary during the Prayer Book Rebellion.
At present, there are 36,000 feet or seven miles of documents, which if stacked vertically would stand taller than Mount Everest.
The documents weigh around 300 tonnes. There are 10,000 collections containing anything from one document to over a thousand.
The records were formerly split between Exeter Central Library and a warehouse in Marsh Barton.
County archivist John Dreasey said: "The decision was taken to find new premises in the early 1990s. A number of locations were considered, including Exminster Hospital, but for some reason or another they were unsuitable. As soon as we saw Great Moor House we knew it was ideal."
Devon County Council bought the former BT warehouse in 1998. The next step was to find the £3 million required to develop the six acre site. Mr Dreasey applied to the Heritage Lottery Fund and, after a tortuous four year process, the scheme was awarded £2.25 million in 2002. The rest of the money was supplied by Devon County Council.
The records are actually stored within a two storey concrete building constructed within the former warehouse.
The storage facility uses cutting edge technology to preserve the documents. Instead of relying on mechanical air conditioning to keep the strong rooms at the desired temperature of 17dC and 50 per cent humidity, the concrete walls act as a moisture sponge.
"The meteorological conditions outside are used to control the atmosphere inside. If it's too hot the building will absorb the excess heat and moisture. Similarly, if it is too dry inside, humid air will be piped into the rooms.
"This computer-controlled system is very unlikely to break down as it does not rely on machinery.
It is important to remember that many of these documents survived being stored in cold stone buildings for centuries."
Among the archive's gems are letters written to the first Viscount of Sidmouth whose family seat remains in Upottery. He was the speaker at the House of Commons during the Napoleonic Wars. He was good friends with Lord Nelson and the archive contains 30 letters written by Nelson while on board ship.
"These letters are fascinating because they cover all kinds of things from political developments in the UK to detailed discussions of Britain's naval and military strategies. "One can only imagine what would have happened if they had got into French hands."
Centre visitors can explore a wide variety of historical records.
Some of the most revealing are from the county quarter sessions, with records dating from 1592 until their abolition in 1971.
The quarter sessions were heard by justices of the peace and dealt with both criminal and administrative issues.
Until 1889, the JPs would appoint Devon's constables, surveyor and treasurer.
"These are vitally important because they are the main record as to how Devon operated between the 16th and 19th century.
"People were most likely to get mentioned if they were criminals, poor or landed gentry. If they got into trouble with the law it's likely we've got some interesting stuff on them."
The city of Exeter records begin in 1100 and are mostly complete until the present day, painting a vivid picture of medieval life in the city.
Then there are the Diocese of Exeter records which begin in the 13th century and include ordinances, consecrations, marriage bonds and tithe maps.
Sadly, most of Devon's wills, dating back to the middle ages, were destroyed by fire during the Exeter blitz of 1942.
Most popular are the parish records. All 465 of Devon's ancient parishes are housed somewhere in the vast storage vault. These are most useful for visitors trying to trace their family history.
"Since the Millennium there has been a real surge in interest in genealogy. The best way of finding your ancestors is through the baptisms, marriages and deaths register which every parish held.
"The problem is when your relatives move around as it can take ages trying discover where they went to. We have some researchers who have been looking for that vital marriage certificate for 20 years."
The earliest parish records are from Colyton. Its register was held in a single book, used continuously from 1538 until 1837.
Visitors can also marvel at the collection of maps which start from the sixteenth century.
Devon has one of the most comprehensive records of the English Civil War of the 1640s, including letters from Samuel Pepys.
Almost all the documents are available for public inspection.
Many of the documents are still owned by the families or institutions which donated them.
"They give them to us for safe keeping and, in return, the public can look at them."
The store is a quarter empty and it is estimated the facility will be full by 2025.
"By its very nature, archives run on a very long timeline. The facility is designed to preserve the documents forever. This is the opposite of the short-term mentality of politics and so it is commendable that Devon County Council has taken such a long view in funding the facility's upkeep for the next 20 years."
The most prominent East Devon towns of today are relatively new developments. Colyford was a medieval borough, while Sidmouth and Exmouth had barely been established. As the traditional wool industries declined and tourism began to develop, East Devon coastal resorts started to grow at the expense of the inland villages.
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