Address: Tuly Street, Barnstaple EX31 1EL

Telephone: 01271-388607

E-Mail: barnlocstudy.library@devon.gov.uk

Opening hours:

We continue to have problems with the window replacement project and may need to be closed again for a period in the future.

It is unlikely that this will be before late September/early October but please check this website or phone for up to date information.

NORTH DEVON LOCAL STUDIES CENTRE

The North Devon Local Studies Centre, situated on the second floor of the North Devon Library and Record Office building in Barnstaple, is an unusual cooperative venture. The public library service has pooled resources with the North Devon Record Office and the North Devon Athenaeum to provide an integrated service in the field of local studies.

DEVON LIBRARY SERVICES

The working collection of books in the reading room of the Centre is provided by Devon Library Services. The opening of the new building in 1988 gave the opportunity to integrate the small local studies collection from the former Barnstaple Reference Library with some 2000 volumes transferred from Exeter. The collection has since been developed and extended by specialist staff acquiring and organising a wide range of written and graphic material. We aim to assist information and research at all levels of local history and environmental studies.

NORTH DEVON ATHENAEUM

The Athenaeum was founded in 1888 by W.F. Rock as a free library and study centre for the people of Barnstaple. In the following century it has built up a very full collection of local studies material on North Devon. The Athenaeum also has local archives and a useful general historical collection. All these collections are held at the Local Studies Centre. A computer produced catalogue is available and items from the collection can be consulted by readers. Athenaeum staff are on duty at the Centre to help and advise on the use of the collection.

NORTH DEVON RECORD OFFICE

The North Devon Record Office is a branch of the Devon Record Office whose headquarters are in Exeter. Over 1000 feet of records originally held in Exeter have been transferred and many new collections of local records have been deposited. Lists and indexes of records held at the Centre are available and the records can be consulted in the search room. The Record Office offers a research service for those unable to visit in person.

THE RESOURCES

BOOKS

7000 local studies books are available for reference amongst the collections of Devon Library Services. Almost half are arranged on the open shelves of the reading room by a modified version of the Dewey Decimal classification used in the main library. Histories and guidebooks are arranged alphabetically by place in a separate sequence. These are supplemented by 3000 local and 10,000 general titles in the North Devon Athenaeum. The local coverage concentrates on the North Devon and Torridge districts and Exmoor. There are also books on South Devon, North Cornwall and West Somerset and works of literature by local writers, especially John Gay and Henry Williamson. The Athenaeum also has general collections with emphasis on social and political history, biography, military history, maritime studies and travel. The County Library Service holds official reports on topics like planning, transport and tourism. There is a sequence of general books on local and family history.

PERIODICALS

Runs of the major county historical periodicals are held, including the Transactions of the Devonshire Association, Devon and Cornwall Notes and Queries, the publications of the Devon and Cornwall Record Society, as well as more local periodicals and newsletters such as North Devon Heritage and Hartland Times. Files of more general periodicals include Local Historian, Local History and the Gentleman's Magazine. Electoral registers covering North Devon and Torridge parishes from 1973 and agendas, reports and minutes for both District Councils from 1974 are held. Devon County Council minutes are held from 1981 and Barnstaple Town Council minutes from 1975.

NEWSPAPERS

Because of their fragility newspapers must be consulted on microfilm, where this is available. The main files held are:

Other newspaper holdings include

MAPS

All three services hold early maps. The Record Office holds maps and plans from the 18th to 20th centuries, including estate, tithe, building and railway plans. These main series are held, normally for north Devon only:

Thematic maps of Devon include geological and land use maps, navigation charts and shopping centre plans.

DIGITAL RESOURCES

A selection of resources are available on CD-ROM including Soldiers who died in the Great War 1914-19 and various Census records for Devon. Ancestry Library Edition is also available for use on public computers, subject to the usual conditions of use.

ILLUSTRATIONS AND EPHEMERA

The Athenaeum has parish portfolios of illustrations and there are also albums of illustrations in its collections. The Library Service has a small collection of postcards, aerial photographs and prints. In addition microfiches of the Francis Frith illustrations for the whole county are held. Ephemera includes early playbills and broadsheets.

CUTTINGS AND INFORMATION FILES

Newspaper cutting files are in three sequences:

1. TOWN: subdivided by detailed subject headings.
2. PARISH: subdivided by broad subject areas.
3. SUBJECT: items relating to North Devon or the whole county including many project topics.

These modern cuttings are supplemented by microfiche copies of Westcountry Studies Library files c1920-1986.

MICROFORMS

An increasing amount of local studies material is available in microfiche or microfilm. Besides the newspapers, maps and local archives mentioned elsewhere the main collections are the General Register Office index 1837-1983, the International Genealogical Index of baptisms and marriages held for England, Scotland and Wales and the census returns for 1841 to 1901 for the registration districts of Barnstaple, Bideford, Holsworthy, South Molton and Torrington. Indexes are available for each census. The North Devon Athenaeum holds the General Register Office indexes of births, marriages and deaths on microfiche for the period 1837 to 1983. Advance booking is essential on 01271-388607.

ARCHIVES

The main categories are:

• ECCLESIASTICAL: Records of almost all parishes in the Archdeaconry of Barnstaple. Microfiches of parish registers for all Devon.
• NONCONFORMIST: Records of Methodist and other Nonconformist congregations in North Devon.
• LOCAL GOVERNMENT: Records of North Devon and Torridge District Councils and their predecessors, borough and parish council records.
• EDUCATIONAL: School and school board records.
• PUBLIC RECORDS: Shipping registers for the ports of Barnstaple, Bideford and Ilfracombe. Records of local hospitals.
• PRIVATE RECORDS: Including Pine-Coffin, Chichester and Incledon-Webber estates and records of businesses.
• MICROFORMS OF DEVON RECORDS: Tithe maps and apportionments, bishops' transcripts to 1812, land tax assessments 1780-1832, Inland Revenue wills 1811-1857, electoral registers 1832-1900, Nonconformist registers.

FACILITIES

• SEATING: 14 seats at library reading room tables, 10 seats in record office search room.
• MICROFORM READERS: 4 film and 8 fiche readers. Readers are advised to book these in advance.
• COMPUTERS: 2 in library reading room, 2 in record office search room.
• MICROFORM PRINTER: prints from fiche or film must be requested on an application form.
• PHOTOCOPIER: this is operated by staff. Copyright legislation must be observed.
• GENEALOGICAL RESEARCH: The Record Office operates a research service. Staff can also provide the names of local genealogists.

FINDING AIDS

The main lists, catalogues and indexes are:

1. Devon Library Services: computerised catalogue of local studies books, searchable by author, title, subject, place.
2. North Devon Athenaeum: computerised catalogue of local books, printed catalogue of general books.
3. North Devon Record Office: place, name and subject indexes to collections, lists of most collections.
4. Lists and indexes of census returns, periodicals, parish registers and other categories of material.

Please ask staff if you do not find the information you require. Leaflets have been prepared on popular topics.

ACTIVITIES

TALKS

Talks on the resources of the Centre can be given to interested groups. Please contact the Principal Archivist or Local Studies Librarian.

PROJECT WORK

The Centre is anxious to support educational work but teachers are asked to contact the Centre before setting assignments or sending students in, to ascertain that suitable material is available. Visits by groups of students are welcome but must be notified well in advance so that accommodation and materials can be prepared. The Record Office will make a small charge for visits.

DISPLAYS

Exhibitions on topics of local interest are displayed in the Centre's foyer and some of the displays are shown elsewhere in the area. Space for displays by local groups or schools is available. Contact the Principal Archivist for further details.

OTHER INFORMATION SOURCES

No one source can hope to be comprehensive in the field of local studies. Leaflets are available on other libraries and record offices with local studies collections. The principal collections are in the Westcountry Studies Library, Castle Street, Exeter and the Devon Record Office, Great Moor House, Sowton, Exeter. The Museum of Barnstaple and North Devon, The Square, Barnstaple is the principal museum in the area. Local studies societies may also be helpful. Listings of museums, societies and other local studies organisations are available.

DEVON LOCAL STUDIES WEBSITE

The Devon local studies website at http://www.devon.gov.uk/index/community/libraries/localstudies.htm includes information on local studies resources in the county and a searchable database of the main collections.

HOW YOU CAN HELP US

Thousands of items of local interest are produced each year, books, pamphlets, reports, magazines. Staff cannot hope to trace all these items. Please let the Centre know of any publications of local interest available for purchase or donation. If the original cannot be transferred, copies can often be made. Devon is a unique county. Please help us to chronicle its heritage.