Celebrating our history

The Community History Project was 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 were able to discover a wealth of new information about the area. These results will be published later this year in our book, Along the Wild Edge - A Journey through the Northern Blackdown Hills.

Fieldwork projects which were supported include:

The Oral History Project 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 recorded ruins in the woods at Hawk’s Moor, and researched archives to find out more about the people who once lived here. Their findings are recorded in the Neroche Book: Along the Wild Edge

 

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.

Further information about the pillow mounds at Priors Park can be found in the Neroche book: Along the Wild Edge

Hemyock Local History Group

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: Along the Wild Edge - A journey through the Northern Blackdown Hills
The Neroche Community History Book is nearing completion and will be available from May 2011. 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.