CELEBRATING THE HISTORY OF A VILLAGE

Thanks to the generosity of one local woman, you have a wealth of online treasures to discover if your family comes from the Devon village of Bishopsteignton. When lifelong resident Molly Coombe (1929–2007) died, she left her house and land to the village’s Museum of Rural Life to provide it with space to expand. The plan didn’t work out, but the museum ultimately sold the house and other properties and built two new houses, generating rental income. Bishopsteignton Heritage Charitable Trust used the money to finance a bold new scheme – creating a digital archive.