Celebrating our history

The Community History Project is about encouraging local people to find out more about the history of the Northern Blackdown escarpment with the aid of financial and technical support provided by the Neroche Scheme. From the origins of the now abandoned farmsteads such as Britty to the excavation at Playstreet, local individuals and groups are now discovering a wealth of new information about the area. These results will be published later this year in our book.

Fieldwork projects which are currently being supported include:

The Oral History Project is beginning to get off the road in conjunction with the Voices from the Hills Project run by Judy Simmonds. We hope to provide audio clips of this project in due course

Warren Cottage at Hawks Moor - A group of brave souls – Daniel James, Tony Smedley, Jenny Parsons & Pat Bayley have been busy braving the elements this winter, recording ruins in the woods at Hawk’s Moor. Preliminary results suggest the former presence of at least 6 cottages including that of the Warren Cottage. The group are now researching the archives to find out more about the people who once lived here. 

 

Pictured here is Daniel Salter in the doorway of Warren Cottage. Daniel’s great great grandparents lived here in the 1890’s

 

 

Priors’ Park - Fieldwork at Prior’ Park by Hazel Riley (English Heritage) has identified the previously unrecorded remains of pillow mounds which could well be medieval in date, possibly belonging to the Prior at Taunton Priory.

Pillow mounds are stone mounds, which were once covered with earth and used as artificial rabbit warrens. Stangely enough (or not!) rabbits were regarded in the middle ages as valuable animals; they were looked after and cosseted. Rabbits were introduced by the Normans. They are originally from southern Europe, and it took them a long time to adjust to our cold, wet climate. But they were such useful animals: their meat was delicate and well-flavoured, their soft fur made fine leather and warm linings for winter clothes, and their stomachs could be used to rennet cheese.

Funding is being provided in tandem with the Blackdown Hills Sustainable Development Fund to the Hemyock Local History group to help with purchase of equipment to scan and store copies of their extensive collection of old photographs. This equipment will be available for use by other groups/organisations.

YouTUBE
Follow the link to find out about the Neroche History Group

THE BOOK
Chapters for the Neroche Community History Book are now in preparation. Contributions range from chapters produced by local people who have undertaken research in the area e.g. The Neroche Local History Group’s research at Britty to Tom Mayberry’s discussion about the Portman’s, Orchard Portman and Thurlbear. The book will be available early winter 2009.