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Ancestry in North Devon, black and white beach photo

Family Discoveries

Do you have a Devon background? If so why not come to discover where your ancestors once lived?

Ancestral tourism does not focus on kings and queens, but rather is the story of ordinary people; where they lived, what they did, and, in the case of the emigrants, why they left Devon.

People researching their ancestors can come to Devon with just locations or even addresses. On their own they can find where their forebears lived. But with a guide, the story of the area, the lifestyle of the generations gone before, and sometimes, even the details of the family is brought to life. The journey becomes more than addresses. It becomes understanding.

Find your routes in North Devon

If you have very little information about your family it is possible to hire a guide, who can do research before your visit, and from archival material uncover the story of your ancestors. Even with the sketchiest material a whole story can be brought to life.

A holiday in Devon can combine ancestral tourism with other activities. People may have lived in different areas, which leads naturally to following in their footsteps. As you do so, you enjoy our scenery, but not just as scenery. There is an added layer when you remember these are the beaches, moors and valleys your ancestors walked. You can touch the stone their homes were built of.

Working with a guide to build a holiday of ancestral tourism, along with other holiday activities, for example cycling, walking, fishing or shopping is in itself an adventure. As the guides have expert local knowledge they can ensure all the choices and decisions are possible.

Such a visit to Devon would not only be a holiday, but a journey into your own past.

Most of our archivists are volunteers and their records are held by charitable trusts. Consequently some aspects of research is charged for so please ensure you are clear on potential costs before requesting research.

Heritage contacts:

Record centers

Northern Devon from the Somerset Border to and including Exeter

North Devon Record Office, Barnstaple

North Devon Record Office provides a full archive service to the north of the county and holds records relating to the area of the Archdeaconry of Barnstaple and of North Devon and Torridge District Councils.

Visit the website for information about visiting the Record Office and how to access its research resources.

Archive catalogues

Online catalogues allow researchers to explore the collections held within the Devon archives.

Here you can search here for documents and arrange for them to be made available to you at The North Devon Record Office.

Northern from the Cornish border to Dartmoor and Bideford

https://www.bidefordarchive.org.uk

Beaford Archives

Photographic archive Northern Devon

http://www.beaford-arts.org.uk/archive/page.php?id=1

Clovelly Village This privately owned village has many records of its own.

Clovelly archive and history group via their Facebook page

Guides

Booking a blue badge guide

http://southwestguildoftouristguides.com/devon-dorset-cornwall

Specialist Guilds

These guilds are qualified across all aspects of Devon and can offer specialist knowledge for groups and individuals.

Cheryl Corcoran

cherylcbath@yahoo.co.uk

Nick Gane

Nick.gane@ganes.co.uk

Viv Robinson

Specialist knowledge of the Mayflower

vivienner@btinternet.com

Peter Christie.

Historian, has many books published on our history

peterstuartchristie@gmail.com

Jana Edwards

Clovelly

landoflovely@outlook.com

Village guides

Jane Elliott

Appledore , Bideford, Northam, Lundy island, Hartland Point to Baggy Point. I also have a good knowledge of the smaller villages of Shebbear, Black Torrington and Buckland Filleigh

bartlett_jane@yahoo.co.uk

Diana Yendell

Appledore

blue.blur@hotmail.co.uk

Terence Bailey

Appledore

terence.g.bailey@gmail.com

Jana Edwards

Clovelly

landoflovely@outlook.com

The village contacts are just that. They coordinate news for their villages and may be a point of contact in your ancestral search if you identify a village your ancestors lived in. They don’t hold any access to local records.

Village news coordinators

Sioux/ Pat -

Combe Martin

combemartinmuseum@googlemail.com

Peter Brunch -

East Down

Peter.bunch562@btinternet.com

Tricia Oakley

Hartland

barnpark@live.co.uk

Shirley Jones-

Ilfracombe