Ottery St Mary Heritage Society

19/05/2026

At The Institute tonight (Tue May 19) archaeologist Peter Marsden is talking about Roman Exeter (Isca) and Roman London (Londinium) and how our smaller provincial garrison city was laid out to much the same Roman pattern as the capital. Talk starts at 7.30pm, hosted by Ottery Heritage Society, non-members welcome for a small donation.

16/05/2026

Ottery Heritage Society invites you to a talk by archaeologist Dr Peter Marsden which explores the similarities and differences between Roman Londinium and Roman Isca (Exeter).
Although Isca was much smaller than the capital, it still had many of the classic features of a Roman city with the trading centre near the present Guild Hall.
The talk is on Tuesday evening (May 19) at 7.30pm in The Institute, Yonder Street, and you’re especially welcome if you are not a member, but we will give you a form to encourage you to become one!
[Coming Shortly - Ottery St Mary Heritage Society](https://otteryheritage.org.uk/2026/03/coming-shortly/)

The Romans established a 42-acre 'playing-card' shaped fortress at the site around AD 55, as the base for the 5,000-strong Second Augustan Legion for the next 20 years. When they moved on to Wales, local people built a new stone forum at the centre and followed Roman customs in trading there. The il...

21/04/2026

Ottery Institute, 7 for 7.30pm tonight (Tue April 21) — come and hear Stewart Raine on ‘The Golden Age of Transatlantic Steamer Crossings’. Refreshments before the talk.

Ottery St Mary Heritage Society – non-members very welcome (we request a donation).

18/04/2026

Come to The Institute this Tuesday evening (April 21) and hear about a century when transatlantic travel by steamer had made the New World much more accessible.

Come to the Institute at 7pm for a cup of tea and a chat before the talk starts at 7.30pm.

And by the way, we are asking for friends who will go on an occasional rota to come early and help with serving the drinks and helping us (trustees) setting the hall up generally. If we get plenty of offers it won’t be something that comes round too soon!

See you at The Institute – non-members very welcome for a contribution or a membership form!

03/04/2026

Reminder: Ottery Museum opening event today, Silver Street/Flexton, 2pm

02/04/2026

🏛️ Ottery St Mary Museum opens tomorrow, April 3, at 11am, with an opening event at 2pm!
Come and see our rearranged displays, new cabinets, and two exciting new graphic panels:
⭐ Edward Ashworth — the Victorian architect behind the 1860 town hall (the very building you will be standing in)
⭐ A characterful etched-glass window from Charles Veal’s early-1900s tailor’s shop on Broad Street — with a remarkable story of how it disappeared and was found again over a century later.

More in the full story on

https://otteryheritage.org.uk/2026/04/museum-news/

The museum is open Thursdays, Fridays & Saturdays, 11am – 3pm. Entry is free — donations (card reader) always welcome. Bring the family, there's more than you might imagine to engage young historians!🎉

30/03/2026

Ottery Museum opens for the new season this Friday – April 3. It is a busy time!

There are new exhibits, including an evocative etched-glass window from the Broad Street shop of Edwardian-era Ottery tailor G. H. Veal.

As we in the Heritage Society get to grips with the age-related renovation issues in the Victorian building, and begin to negotiate purchase of the building from the Town Council, we are moving into a position to seek grants.

We appeal for those who might have contributions of skills, experience, or simply willingness to join the team and further the growth. That’s all the various asoects of the building project, writing funding bids, managine the IT infrastructure and database, donation accessioning, hospitality, family-friendly exhibits, and compliance with the Arts Council and Charities Commission.

Please contact any trustee or email chairman Peter Shrubsall on [email protected] if you think you can help.

See the full story at https://otteryheritage.org.uk/2026/03/news-and-developments/

16/03/2026

Tomorrow (Tuesday 17th, The Institute, 7:30 pm) you won't want to miss popular speaker Todd Gray giving a talk to Ottery Heritage Society and friends about what it was like to live in wartime Devon. Renowned Exeter historian Todd has researched this from the diaries of 70 Devonians who lived through those difficult years, leaving us their candid comments about rationing, incomers, preparations for D-Day and more.

We will also mention ways in which you can get involved in the society’s activities and research into Ottery’s heritage – bring your skills and gain some new ones.

We always extend a warm welcome to non-members, who are invited pay a small donation — or you may choose to join our society.

Preview of historian Trevor Waddington's talk to Ottery Heritage Society at 7.30pm on Tuesday, January 20

13/03/2026

THIS TUESDAY evening (March 17, 7.30pm at The Institute) Ottery Heritage Society welcomes back a popular speaker, Exeter historian Todd Gray.

He recently carried out a study of 70 Devon people’s wartime diaries, and his talk brings out what it felt like to live in war-restricted Devon – from these first-person accounts.

You don’t have to be a member to enjoy the talk (we ask for a small donation) but this talk will encourage you to come again, free with your annual sub.
https://otteryheritage.org.uk/2026/03/coming-shortly/

17/02/2026

Tonight (Tue 17) in The Institute, 7.30pm, a talk by David Knapman on a signpost moment in Ottery’s history – the time Otter Mill was converted from silk spinning, to use its water powered drives for brush-making.

Non-members always welcome (we ask for a £3 donation) refundable if you join!