Secret History

To further explore the historical, botanical, and archaeological themes discussed in this series, here are several highly reputable websites and resources. These links will provide deeper context for both Sidmouth-specific history and the broader scientific methods used at Powys House.

1. Local History & Sidmouth Heritage

• Sidmouth Coastal Community Hub: A great resource for contemporary community projects and local environmental history in the Sid Valley.

  • sidmouthcoastalcommunityhub.org

• Sidmouth Museum: Operated by the Sid Vale Association, this museum holds extensive archives on the town's Regency development and the Domesday Book records of "Sedemuda."

  • sidmouthmuseum.org.uk

• The Sid Vale Association (SVA): The oldest civic society in Britain, they manage several local land sites and offer detailed histories of the valley's evolution.

  • sidvaleassociation.org.uk

2. Ancient Trees & Woodland Indicators

• Sidmouth Arboretum: Caring for the trees of the Sid Valley

  • Sidmouth Arboretum

• The Woodland Trust (Ancient Tree Inventory): Use this to look up ancient trees in Devon or to learn how to register a tree you’ve discovered.

  • ati.woodlandtrust.org.uk

• Ancient Tree Forum: Provides technical deep-dives into the management of ancient Yews and Sweet Chestnuts, including the "cultural" history of these trees.

  • ancienttreeforum.org.uk

• Plantlife: The best resource for identifying Ancient Woodland Indicators (AWI) like the Wood Anemone and Bluebell.

  • plantlife.org.uk

3. Fungi & Mycorrhizal Networks

• The British Mycological Society: Offers identification guides and fascinating articles on how fungi support forest ecosystems.

  • britmycolsoc.org.uk

• First Nature: An excellent, easy-to-use online field guide for identifying the fungi mentioned in the survey, such as the Birch Bolete or Artist’s Bracket.

  • first-nature.com/fungi

4. Archaeology & Historical Mapping

• Old Maps Online: A powerful tool that allows you to overlay historical maps (like the William Day map of 1789) over modern satellite imagery.

  • oldmapsonline.org

• The Domesday Book Online: You can search for "Sidmouth" or "Otterton" to see the original 1086 records of the salt works and monastic landholdings.

  • domesdaybook.co.uk

• Devon County Council (Environment & Heritage): Access the Historic Environment Record (HER) to find archaeological data on Sidbury Hill Fort and other Iron Age sites in the valley.

  • devon.gov.uk/historicenvironment

And there is the Sidmouth Nature 'studio' with much more information and learning materials ...