About Us

Submitted by mcmullen on Thu, 05/19/2016 - 09:50

Digital Devon was created as part of the 2015-2016 Kenyon-Exeter Seminar.  The fourteen student authors are junior English majors from Kenyon College, Gambier, Ohio (USA) studying abroad at the University of Exeter in Devon (UK), accompanied by a Kenyon professor who served as resident director. 

Living in Exeter for the year has given us the opportunity to explore the culture and countryside of one of England's largest counties.  It is a rich landscape of thriving farms and seaports, rugged moorland, lively cities, small villages, castles, stone circles, pubs, churches, and estates.  We have met talented artists, amateur historians, publicans, farmers, fishermen and fellow dog lovers, and each of them has contributed to our growing knowledge of our adopted home.  One result of that encounter is this website--part guidebook, part photo gallery, part travel journal. 

Working in six teams, we completed library and archival research, museum tours, fieldwork, and site visits to produce the text and photographs on this site.  Specific content credit can be found on individual pages.

Digital Devon was funded by a  Mellon Digital Humanities Grant from The Five Colleges of Ohio and by a Kenyon Teaching Grant.  We especially want to acknowledge the help of Jenna Nolt, Weylin Burgett, and Jason Bennett of Kenyon's Library and Information Service; Jacob Heil, Mellon Digital Scholar for the Five Colleges of Ohio; and  Alan Narovec, for his tireless technical and logistical support.  Along the way, we have met countless individuals who have taught us much, including tour guides, librarians, and museum docents.  In particular, we'd like to thank Caroline Cheffers-Herd of The Bridge Inn, Topsham; Ken Watson of The Queens Arms, Slapton; all of the Exeter Red Coat Tour Guides (especially Betsy); Bridget from Powerham Castle; and the docents and staff at the Exeter Cathedral, Berry Pomeroy Castle, Killerton House and Buckland Abbey.