Budleigh Past and Present

The Otter Valley Association’s recent launch of its scheme to list Local Heritage assets seems likely to heighten our awareness of how the area has changed - in many cases not for the better! Old maps of Budleigh Salterton and the surrounding villages provide a good way of appreciating such changes, thinks Fairlynch Museum Trustee Trevor Waddington. Trevor, who is involved with the Local Heritage scheme, recommends the three Harry Lane maps of Budleigh published by the OVA. Dated 1842, 1890 and 1933, they are roughly A3 size and are available as a set for £20 via the OVA website at http://www.ova.org.uk/publications/books “Interestingly, the 1842 map shown above depicts Primrose Cottage - now Fairlynch Museum - with what appears to be a glass-roofed veranda running the full width of the building,” notes Trevor. Another item of interest on the 1842 map shows the original ‘Temple’ built by a retired London bookseller, James Lackington, and named after his London ...