January talk: 4 January, 2:30pm. Talk by Simon Dell – ‘Georgian Improvers of Dartmoor’. This follows on from our visit to Tor Royal, Princetown in September 2023.

February talk: 1 February, 2:30pm. A presentation from Jon Bell, ‘Tales of the Land and Songs of the Sea’.

March talk: 7 March, 2:30pm. Talk by Dr Des Atkinson – ‘The Norden Survey: Life in Devon in the time of King James I’.

April talk: 4 April, 2:30pm. Talk by Phil Badcott on ‘A Torquay Holiday in 1851’. Join Sir James and Lady Morrison of London on their two week holiday in Torquay in the summer of 1851. Find out who and where they visited, and listen to their fascinating descriptions of Torquay and the surrounding area from Sir James’s journal.

May talk: 2 May, 2:30pm. Talk by Keith Weedon on ‘The History of Poltimore House’. Keith describes the ups and downs of this 16th century house and the family that owned it.

June visit: 6 June, 11:00am. Visit to Shilstone House near Modbury. Tour of the House in the morning (start 11:00am). Introduction to the Devon Rural Archive in the afternoon (start 2:00pm). View the historic garden during free time. Cost £12 for members, £14.50 for guests. Lunch/cream tea available to purchase in the DRA café.

July visit: 18 July, 2:00pm. A walk around Dartington Grade II* listed Park and Garden with Rosemary Griggs. Also visiting some areas of Dartington Hall (Grade I) including the Elmhirst Centre, the old kitchens and the Great Hall. Cost £5 for members, £7 for guests (free or reduced prices for members of a number of other organisations – details at www.dartington.org). Car parking charges apply. Refreshments available in The White Hart Pub (part of the grade I listed building) and at The Green Table café.

August visit: 8 August, 2:00pm. Visit to the Salem Chapel and Assembly Room, East Budleigh, Grade II*. These buildings may pass into private hands in the near future, so this may be the last chance we have of seeing this “well preserved and unusually early Non-Conformist Chapel” (Historic England). We will also visit the Church of All Saints (Grade I) in the village. Cream tea at the Chapel.

September visit: Wednesday 18 September, 2:00pm. A walk around Colyton. Guided tour of the town and a visit to the Heritage Centre. £5 for members, £7.50 for non-members. Cream tea (£6) and other refreshments available at Colyton Garden Shop after the visit.

October talk: 3 October, 2:30pm. Talk by Dr Clare Maudling on ‘The Rebuilding of Plymouth after World War II’.

November talk: 7 November, 2:30pm. AGM and members’ presentations.