Crediton Area History & Museum Society host the Summer Conference of the Devon History Society
About 40 people from all over the county spent the day at the Boniface Centre which included a buffet lunch provided by members of our Society.
In the morning they were treated to a talk by Crediton local historian John Heal, entitled ‘Fire, Serges and a Map’. This was based on the map of the High Street, commissioned by the then Lord of the Manor and produced the year before the Great Fire of 1743. John explained that a missing page from the map had appeared at auction a few years ago and was purchased by the Devon Record Office. A copy is now on display in Crediton Museum and John held his audience spellbound with the information resulting from his research into the map. So much has been learned about how the people of the area lived at the time. The great reliance of the area on the wool trade was explained, leading to the transition of local economy to focus on boot and shoe manufacturing which continued into the early 20th century.
The talk was followed by a tour of the parish church led by Ms Penny Little. The visitors were most impressed by the building and its origins as the cathedral church before that role was taken over by Exeter in 1050.
Splitting into two groups, members were then taken on a tour of the town by John Heal and Sandra Cooper, vice chairman of the Society. This included a visit to Crediton Museum where the visitors were fascinated by the civil war relics and town model on display there. As the conference ended, Devon History Society Chairman Mrs Jane Bliss, thanked the local history society for its hospitality. She said the day had been one of the most successful they’d had, due in no small measure to the quality of talks given by Mr Heal, Ms Little and Mrs Cooper.