Donn Houses. When Sebastian and Lucy Fenwick bought the property in 2005 and began their brave and ambitious restoration programme, they decided it would be a fascinating exercise to research Shil- stone’s long history and put together a record of its ownership and development over the centuries. Meanwhile there were nearly 1000 other Donn Houses featured on the map, the majority of which had already been identified as meriting investiga- tion. “When the Devon Rural Archive was set up in 2006 its sole aim was to fund a team of Consultant Archeologists to research and write up the histories of these important houses,” explains Abi. “The Pro- ject, which is still very much ongoing, is painstaking but totally absorbing. Some of these properties are in a bad state of repair. Others have long ceased to exist, such as Cofflete House and Park near Brixton. All that re- mains of this once important property is a grid of vague lumps under the turf. That is just one example of the 150 investigations we have already undertaken.” “Our aim is to create a written historical record of each house, that includes a documented history of ownership, the property’s environmental evolution, extensions, additions and, sometimes, demolitions. Obviously we need the owners’ agreement, which
can be tricky if the house has multiple-ownership. But there is absolutely no cost involved and, when the record has been completed, current residents are given a copy for their own interest. In ten years we have investigated about a sixth of the 900 or so houses on the map, so, yes, there is much more work still left to do in Project Donn!” The Devon Rural Archive Today The work of Project Donn aside, the Devon Rural Archive has expanded over the past 8 years into an important research facility dedicated to Devon’s rural heritage. It can be utilised free of charge, three days a week by anyone with an interest in local heritage, including farming, local industries, house histories and family trees. “We realised quite quickly
It can be utilised free of charge, three days a week by anyone with an interest in local heritage, including farming, local industries, house histories and family trees
that the public were not only interested in our work but were keen to contribute important information, documents and artifacts that could be of tremendous value to heritage researchers,” says Abi. “Once the DRA became more widely known, we began getting
requests from individuals and local history societies for documentary access, information and help. But we were also keen to acquire more historical material that could help chart the ever changing nature of Devon’s people and landscapes.”
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