The group has been granted funding by the The Heritage Lottery Fund H L F. We are using the funding to produce a book about the village that would span early days to the present. We are also storing on CD/DVD pictures, copies of documents, census & parish register indexes, trade directory entries and villagers memories that will be available to everyone.

How are progressing? The group is working on certain areas including local industry, the railway, history of some builidngs, the pub, the children's home. We are working individually but then come together to discuss material gathered. We have group visits, we have been to Torrington Musem to see some the material that they hold on Petrockstowe and we have visited the Clinton Estates archive which holds documents relating to the parish.
We have held some open afternoons with guest speakers. The first one of these was an "Afternoon with George Copp". George was works manager at the Clayworks and holds a wealth of maps, photographs and documents about the clayworks, brickyard and railway, he bought these along for everyone to look at and also gave a very interesting and informative talk.

The village pub at one time was used as a Children's Home, most of the children seemed to have come from London. In a note book dated September 1892 these entries were recorded for some of the residents. The home was run by Lady Clinton and Lady Alice Nelson.
Maud Wayford born June 14th 1870. No parents or friends living, came from St Monica’s Home Petrockstowe January 20th 1892 Decidedly wanton in intellect and subject to fits. Charlotte Elizabth Heybourne? Born December 19th 1870. Mother lives in London and writes constantly, came from Southampton July 1888 for St Monica’s Home Petrockstowe, came to Merton Home September 19th 1892 Caroline Tanton Born June 25th 1881. Been in St Monica’s Home 2 years and came from Shrewsbury where mother lives, came from St Monica’s Home September 19th 1892

Moving on!     We have been awarded a grant by the Heritage Lottery Fund and the group has held several events now, see our Past Events page, work is completed on our Village Alphabet Leaflet thanks to all the entries in the Village Alphabet competition. This leaflet has now been published. Our main "Past and Present" Photograph Exhibition was held in September 2005 with many supporting displays, see our Forthcoming Events page for future events. We are continuing to gather material towards our book and digital archive on the village, any offers of photographs etc. on village people or places would be gratefully received and of course returned to you after copying, please Email us if you are able to loan us any photographs

We have now completed the Petrockstowe 'Village Alphabet' leaflet. This has been produced by members of the Petrockstowe Local History Group. Local photos, old photos, artwork taken from competition entries from both adults and children have been use to create this 'Village Alphabet' divided into 'Petrockstowe Today' and 'Petrockstowe Yesterday' on either side. These leaflets will be available from February 2007, please email if you would like some

We have now completed the Petrockstowe book 'Petrockstowe Past & Present' and we have now completed our 'Past & Present' project. We have all learned something new, from book writting to taking oral histories.

Although the project is comong to a close our group will continue with new projects, displays and talks; watch for our posters when we put events on