Devoran Railway Centenary Festival & History

14/03/2026

Kresen Kernow (‘Cornwall Centre’) is home to the world’s largest collection of documents, books, maps and photographs related to Cornwall’s history. Everyone is welcome to visit and explore these amazing collections.

02/02/2026

Devoran Village Hall's now restored model replica of a piece of equipment used in the Hall when the Hall was a railway workshop had an 'Away Day' on Saturday. It was on display at Kresen Kernow, the Archives and Cornish Studies Service for the day.
The model was made by apprentice engineer W J Woolcock of Quenchwell in 1881.
Donated to the Hall by Mr R Wheatcroft.
Restored by Mr B Thomas.
New case purchase with a donation from from Mr G Burgess.

02/02/2026

24/01/2026

To mark 200 years since the opening of the Redruth and Chasewater Railway, join us at Kresen Kernow on Saturday 31 January for an afternoon talk, an opportunity to view photographs and documents about the railway, and a chance to see behind-the-scenes at Kresen Kernow.

Open from 1-4pm, with a talk by Bob Richards at 1.30pm, based on his book ‘Four Foot Gauge’, and discovery time afterwards.

This event is free and no booking is required.

12/12/2025

This beautiful model was originally housed in Devoran School, when at it's original site in Market Street. When work was being done to the school it was put in a skip. It was secretly rescued by one of the teachers; as the then Head wasn't interested in old things or history. The model was returned to the maker's family in America and has been restored.
Katina - Maritime Archaeology Database
https://share.google/MzCk0BbK5WC0zJWv8

22/11/2025

20/11/2025

This Saturday at Devoran Village Hall from 2pm to 4pm

The Railway that made Devoran exhibition, come and see:

- Photographs and models illustrating the railway in the parish of Feock.

- Enjoy Marie Bird’s photographic journey through Devoran.

- Artwork by Devoran School children creating a Time Traveller on the railway

- Be one of the first to see a new information board to be located at Devoran Village Hall and Dysons Field.

- Craft and artwork created by members of the local community.

- Exhibition opened by Jayne Kirkham MP

- Collect your own free copy of a new walking and cycling map from Point to Bissoe.

- The Exhibition is part of our celebration of two hundred years of railway history as we look at how the railway led to the creation of Devoran and a legacy of benefit to the people who live there today with facilities for recreation and leisure.

12/09/2025

Market Street, Devoran
Procession with banner, probably from Devoran Methodist Church (now closed) about to walk over the crossing with gates at the bottom of Market Street. The gates were on part of the Redruth & Chasewater Railway which lead to a workshop with granite insection pit, now Devoran Village Hall. The pit was found during the archeolgical wating brief in 2015/6 for the Hall's refurbishment. After being recorded the pit was lined with heavy duty polythene and flooded so the new floor could be laid.

08/09/2025

𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐧 ⁣- 𝐃𝐢𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰?
In 1881 George Taylor, aged 26, was the Superintendent and Secretary of the Company. He worked in Quay House but he lived alone in Devoran House with three servants: Housekeeper Elizabeth Bovey, 46; Housemaid Mary Dowrick, 15: and the gardener Thomas Chegwidden,30. Devoran House was originally Lower Devoran Farm and had been greatly enlarged by John Taylor the founder of the Railway Company. ⁣
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John Hitchens, 59, was the managing clerk and he lived in Market Street. Hazeldene, the house next door to Quay House used to be the Crown & Anchor pub. In 1881, Emma Roberts, 72, was the innkeeper, Christiana Nicholls, 57, her sister, was the barmaid, and Mary Nicholls, 27, her niece was a general servant. ⁣
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Quay House is on the left in this photo. The engine ‘Miner’ is in front of the Crown & Anchor Inn.
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𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐯𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐭𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲 – 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐚𝐫𝐞?⁣
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We'll be featuring excerpts from our Discover Devoran booklet on our social media in the run up to the Discover Devoran Past & Present exhibition in November which we hope residents will find interesting. ⁣
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⁣𝘞𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘦 𝘉𝘪𝘳𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘩𝘰𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘩 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘕𝘪𝘤𝘬 𝘑𝘰𝘩𝘯𝘴𝘰𝘯 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘴.⁣⁣