Writing and other projects

I began working for the Exmoor Society, a charity which aims to conserve Exmoor for all, in March 2014. The Society had collected large amounts of archival material throughout its almost sixty-year history. This had never been catalogued and was stored on overflowing shelves in Parish Rooms, Dulverton. After two years, and with the help of many volunteers, I had transformed this into a resource centre, including an archive store and library.

In 2017, Exmoor National Park Authority awarded the archive project for its contribution in achieving the vision set out in the Exmoor National Park Partnership Plan 2012–2017.

Exmoor Society Resource Centre

2014–2018

In 2011 I was commissioned by Clinton Devon Estates to write a history of the Rolle family. The Rolles were amongst the most prominent land owners in Devon and were related by marriage to the Clintons. Through researching their fortunes, I came to know more about the history of the county and ventured into genealogical research. The 70,000 word book was published privately.

Rolle family history

2012

This series of Studies explores Exmoor topics which perhaps do not warrant a full-length book but need more space than a journal article. They are 15–20,000 words in length and illustrated throughout.

I formulated the idea whilst working for the Exmoor Society and much of the research is based on material found in the Society's archives. Working alongside another editor, I commissioned authors, copy-edited text, prepared and provided illustrations, commissioned a designer and saw the print-ready PDFs through publication with a local printer. I was the sole author of the Exmoor pony volume and edited the Minehead Road study from an original manuscript of over 70,000 words to 18,000 words. By the end of my contract in September 2018, four volumes were published. The Studies are a vital legacy of the Exmoor Society archive project.

Exmoor Studies 

2017–2018

Academic publications

Popular publications and press releases

Public speaking

I have published in the Guardian online and in Cycling Weekly. More recently, as part of my outreach work for the Exmoor Society, I have built up good links with the press and radio in the south west. Pictured (right) is a photograph taken from an Exmoor pony as part of a collaborative project with the Exmoor Pony Centre to recreate one of the last ridden postal routes on Exmoor. The stories of these older methods of travel and communication brought much positive publicity for the Exmoor Society.