Exeter Local History Society

Exeter Local History Society members are hooked on history. If you share our fascination, why not join us? We have between 6 and 12 lecture meetings a year (details below), plus we occasionally have long-distance outings, and we cover an incredibly diverse range of subjects from Roman remains to post-WW2 redevelopment.

Our regular monthly meetings at Leonardo Hotel Exeter are usually held on the second Thursday of a month. Full details of future walks and talks are given below.

The charge for each meeting is normally £5 (free to members). The annual membership fee is £15 (£20 for joint membership). If you sample a meeting and decide to join, the £5 cost will be deducted from your first annual fee. Walks and visits normally cost £5 p.p. for members and visitors alike.

We also produce six newsletters a year — how about we email you the most recent as a free taster? To request a copy just email us at:

And do check out this website and see for yourself the great selection of subjects with which we entertain our members. Just click on "Past Events" to explore our programme! Click on "How To Join Us" for an application form. Please fill out this form if you wish to stay updated on our events and receive newsletters.

We hope we will see you soon at one of our many events!

“Hidden Treasures: Exeter’s Library and Literature Heritage”

 
with Clare Maudling on Thursday, 8 October 2026
at 7.00pm at Leonardo Hotel, Exeter

Dr. Clare Maudling is a multi-disciplinary researcher and former library professional. She spent fifteen years working in specialist libraries, including the Exeter Performing Arts Library and the Westcountry Studies Library, before undertaking postgraduate study in history at the University of Exeter. Born in Exeter, Clare’s interest in history was inherited from her parents. She developed a love of architectural history, and her main research interest is the evolution of urban planning and housing in the UK. She completed her PhD in Exeter, Plymouth and Bristol in 2018, after a decade of research into post-war rebuilding. After graduating, Clare worked in heritage, working for Exeter Historic Buildings Trust and the Devon and Exeter Institution. Clare is currently a post-doctoral research fellow with the University of Exeter.

Clare says — “In 1904, Harry Tapley-Soper, the new city librarian, began lobbying Exeter City Council for a new library, as the one he had inherited was bursting at the seams and was no longer fit for a modern city.

A mere 26 years later, the new City Library finally opened, beset along the way with concerns about cost, the necessity of providing such a facility, and the demands of an American steel magnate… This episode in the city’s library provisions reflects a long history of unexpected arguments and actors. An ancient place of worship, a new art school, an 18th-century execution, some one-upmanship, and a large stuffed brown bear, all take their place in the story of our libraries and their books.

The city is home to books of international significance, and the buildings which house them have their own fascinating stories to tell, forming part of a larger narrative of literacy, literary and scientific thinking, and the expansion of what it means to be a library in the modern age.

This talk takes a trip through the city’s history via its libraries, from the early foundations of the Cathedral Library to the 170 years of public library service, telling the stories of those who created our libraries and the changes across the centuries.”

Tickets for this event can be secured by following the link below. The event registration is free for the members of the Society; there is a very small (£5) fee for non-members.

A History of Dartmoor in 10 Objects

 
with Andy Crabb on Thursday, 12 November 2026
at 7.00pm at Leonardo Hotel, Exeter

Andy Crabb has been working as an archaeologist on Dartmoor for over 20 years for both Dartmoor National Park Authority and Historic England.

For this talk, Andy has selected 10 objects that illustrate the long and fascinating story of Dartmoor. He will be discussing artefacts, fossils, tools and landscapes that tell the story of Dartmoor over the last 140,000 years.

Andy’s role covers all aspects of archaeological management, providing planning advice and even a bit of digging! With over 20,000 archaeological sites on Dartmoor, Andy and his team conserve, monitor and understand this hugely important landscape.

He will also be bringing a few artefacts for people to handle.

Tickets for this event can be secured by following the link below. The event registration is free for the members of the Society; there is a very small (£5) fee for non-members.