This Spring sees the much-anticipated launch of HIDDEN HISTORIES OF RURAL NORTH DEVON: OPENING UP THE BEAFORD ARCHIVE, a vibrant and unique three-year project for the people of North Devon, funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Hidden Histories will digitise around 10,000 unseen black and white images from the extensive James Ravilious and Roger Deakins photographic archives and make these publicly available on a new searchable website. A host of volunteering opportunities are on offer to assist with the digitisation, cataloguing, and preservation of the images, as well as the collection of oral histories from people with special insights into the photographs.

Locals and visitors alike are invited to attend a series of free events across the region to celebrate the launch of the project. Formerly unseen images from the Archive collections will be on display, shedding new light on our local heritage, and allowing attendees to have a first glimpse at a small sample of the 3000 plus contact sheets that will be published online later this year. We look forward to learning more about these and hearing about your knowledge and experience of the familiar places and faces captured on film.

Members of the Hidden Histories team will be on hand to share information about the volunteering opportunities available and what to expect in the forthcoming months and years of the project. An Oral Historian will be in attendance and looking for people interested in becoming trained in oral history techniques, to help support in the ongoing collection of stories and memories.

From 3:30pm, there will be featured talks from local speakers connected to the project, with experts discussing history, environment, and photography - providing new perspectives on our corner of England.

There will be free refreshments provided throughout at all venues, and all events are ‘drop-in’ so no pre-booking is needed.

High Bickington -

2-5pm, Sunday 9th April 2017,

Community Centre

Woolacombe -

2-5pm, Sunday 23rd April 2017,

Mortehoe Village Hall

Dolton -

2-5pm, Sunday 7th May 2017,

Village Hall

Hatherleigh -

2-5pm, Sunday 25th June 2017,

Community Centre

Bideford -

1-4pm, Saturday 15th July 2017,

The Burton Gallery

Chulmleigh -

2-5pm, Sunday 30th July 2017,

Town Hall

South Molton and Torrington -

September 2017, details TBC